Brian Callahan on Tennessee Titans Quarterback Will Levis: With Performance Comes Leadership

In the process of learning a new system and executing at a high level, Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis can "help get the information to the other guys on the offense," says coach Brian Callahan. "And that's where you start to take on a leadership role."

NASHVILLE — Brian Callahan's success as the Tennessee Titans coach is directly linked to Will Levis' performance as a quarterback.

In the first week of offseason workouts, Callahan on Wednesday spoke about the state of the Titans and specifically how Levis is making strides in his development as a player and a leader.

"I want Will (Levis) to be him. He's got to do it in his own way," Callahan said. "You can't make people do anything that's outside of their character. It doesn't come across as genuine. I think Will does a really good job of staying true to who he is.

"And there's obviously things along the way that I'll think are important and I'll make sure that I convey those to him. But I'm not going to ask him to go be anybody that he's uncomfortable being. I need Will to just be the best version of himself. He's got a job to do as the leader of the offense, as a leader of the football team, and I think he understands that."

Callahan believes the quarterback is an extension of the head coach. He's pleased that Levis has reached out to each of the Titans free agents, including defensive players.

"I think the biggest part is understanding what your role is and that you have to be visible. People have to see you," Callahan said. "You have to make sure you're building the same relationships that I have to build as the head coach. You're building it with everybody across the team because the team needs to see you and ultimately have a relationship where they believe in you. I think he obviously went a long way doing that last year in his time that he played as the starter (and) I think he started to realize how important it was. I've been very pleased with his demeanor, his actions as he started the offseason program."

Some players can lead by example with their performance without being vocal. Callahan said that most quarterbacks in the NFL have to do both.

"Yeah, it's a two-pronged process. It kind of happens simultaneously," Callahan said. "But, if you ever were to ask anybody that plays what comes first, obviously the performance comes first. So he's going to pour into learning a new system, learning what's asked of him how to execute at a high level. And in his operation of learning, he can help get the information to the other guys on the offense. And that's where you start to take on a leadership role."

Related Titans stories

• DRAFT FLEXIBILITY: Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan feels good about the team's offseason moves: "As you add players of need in free agency, which is what free agency is for, the draft then opens up for you and you're able to take a bit more of an open-minded approach on what the best players are at those positions." CLICK HERE
• JOE ALT AND THE BEST TACKLES: The majority of mock NFL drafts have the Titans taking Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt as the No. 7 overall pick. But the options are rich at the position. CLICK HERE
• REBUILD ON FAST TRACK: The Tennessee Titans have "needs all over the field, so credit to GM Ran Carthon for recognizing the deficiencies and addressing them decisively in his first year without former coach Mike Vrabel," Jeremy Fowler wrote on ESPN.com. CLICK HERE
• NEW FACES IN AFC SOUTH: The free-agent market is still open. The NFL Draft is April 25-27. The Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans have been trading haymakers with their significant player acquisitions. CLICK HERE