Titans named potential landing spot for an attractive veteran QB to replace Will Levis
In Week 10, Will Levis began his nine-game final audition to convince the Tennessee Titans to invest in him beyond 2024. While his return performance against the Chargers was far from extraordinary, he played an encouraging style of football that differed from the Levis of September. It was safer, more in-structure; a test-case for what […]
In Week 10, Will Levis began his nine-game final audition to convince the Tennessee Titans to invest in him beyond 2024. While his return performance against the Chargers was far from extraordinary, he played an encouraging style of football that differed from the Levis of September. It was safer, more in-structure; a test-case for what the Levis vision is in Brian Callahan's offense. Overall, an encouraging start to his final 2 months at the helm.
But if he's unable to prove he's worthy of continuing to plan around in 2025, what will the Titans do at QB going forward? Currently slated to pick 3rd overall, losing for the rest of 2024 could result in a top QB draft pick. Perhaps the top QB draft pick, if they truly bottom-out.
However, odds are this team will win a couple more games. Brian Callahan and company sure would like to. All the players currently on the team are busting their butts to make it happen. And with the landscape of this draft class being, in my opinion, a one-QB class, drafting a passer in the 1st may not be the option for Tennessee.
Enter: Sam Darnold?
Darnold is poised to be the top free agent QB available next spring. His 1-year contract in Minnesota will be up, and he's certainly played himself into at least a bridge starting job in 2025. Now, the Vikings could obviously choose to try to bring him back, but J.J. McCarthy is waiting in the wings. And considering the high 1st round pick the Vikings spent to get the currently-injured Michigan product, they're almost certainly planning on making him their franchise quarterback after this season.
ESPN posted an article on Wednesday with NFL Insider thoughts and information nuggets on Week 11 buzz, and the future of Darnold's career was a topic of discussion.
"Let's go with the Titans" Jeremy Fowler said in response to where Darnold ends up in 2025. "Will Levis has the next eight games to show he can be the long-term answer at quarterback. Maybe he proves the Titans right. But if his penchant for interceptions reemerges, the Titans will need contingencies in 2025."
Levis played his first clean game of the season just last week, and will need to turn that into a trend to prove Fowler (and really, all of us) wrong about him being a frenetic turnover machine. It continues:
"Darnold is a proven commodity who would give Tennessee a bridge starter option while it continues to develop Levis or selects a quarterback high in the 2025 draft. So in this scenario, he would be the starter for coach Brian Callahan."
I encourage you to read the full piece, where other potential landing spots are considered by Fowler and Dan Graziano.
While Darnold has played his best ball to date in Minnesota, there are a handful of red flags that would make this a tenuous decision. First of all, the situation and system he finds himself in are extremely QB friendly. The Vikings have a solid OL, a very strong selection of weapons (including the best WR in the NFL), and Head Coach Kevin O'Connell is one of the best in the business. His ability to scheme around different passers and set them up for success has been on full display the past couple seasons.
Darnold has all the raw talent in the world, hence why he was drafted where the Jets initially took him. This has been the driving force behind team after team, coach after coach choosing to take another swing on him. He's an eye-candy kind of player. You just can't quit those traits!
And KOC has done well to harness the good and minimize the bad with Darnold so far. Because make no mistake, Darnold has that bozo in him. He's never seen a questionable decision he wasn't tempted to make. And he's seemingly cooling down as we speak. After putting up a 14-5 TD to INT ratio through his first 7 games, he's 3-5 in his past two outings.
Would Darnold be an upgrade for the Titans at QB? Probably. But what would he look like behind a worse OL, with worse weapons, and with a less experienced coaching staff? And the Vikings are currently getting this version of Darnold for a one-year rental of $10 million. He won't be that affordable this spring, should the Titans be interested.
Darnold is likely to make Brian Callahan and Ran Carthon think long and hard after the 2024 season has concluded. But whether they'll be in the market, or if paying for him is even a wise decision in the first place, is yet to be seen.
Titans pick up more wins than losses Sunday even after being dismantled by the Chargers
Fine, let’s peek at the 2025 draft order.
