Will Levis’ NFL future gets more complicated with trade news right before his final ride with the Titans
A Saturday afternoon trade across the NFL shakes up the options for Tennessee Titans back up quarterback Will Levis as he will be looking for his next opportunity as the roster cutdown deadline approaches.
Will Levis takes the field Saturday night at Nissan Stadium for what everyone expects to be his final game in two-tone blue, and his path to a new NFL home just got narrower.
Levis is highly likely to be released by Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi on Sunday as the NFL’s cutdown day arrives. All 32 teams must trim their rosters to 53 players by 5 p.m. CT. Tennessee is expected to carry a two-quarterback roster, with Levis on the outside and Hendon Hooker also likely out, though Hooker could land on the practice squad.
Everybody needs a fresh start here. Levis has tons of physical ability to play quarterback in the NFL. He just hasn’t been able to put it all together since losing his opportunity (and giving it away) during the 2024 season to be this franchise’s quarterback going forward.
Hours before the Titans and the Chicago Bears kicked off the preseason finale, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Miami Dolphins backup quarterback Quinn Ewers, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The move likely eliminates what many considered Levis’ most logical landing spot after Tennessee cuts him.
Jaguars’ Ewers trade closes the door on a Levis reunion with Liam Coen
Levis was never going to be traded to Jacksonville. The Titans would never deal him inside the division. But he was a popular guess to land with the Jaguars as a free agent after getting cut because of his relationship with Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.
Coen and Levis had a strong year together in 2021 when Coen was the offensive coordinator at Kentucky and Levis was in his first season with the Wildcats. That year as a junior, Levis played in 13 games, completed 66% of his passes, threw for over 2,800 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. On the ground, he added 376 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
Coen then left for the NFL, teaming up with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. Levis’ senior season without Coen told a different story. He played in just 11 games while dealing with a foot injury and other ailments, throwing for 2,400 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His rushing production cratered to negative 107 yards with two touchdowns. The passing numbers don’t look drastically different in two fewer games, but Levis’ play was less efficient, and Kentucky’s season struggled along the same lines. He ended up being a second-round pick after that diminished senior year without Coen.
The Jaguars could have been a solid landing spot. Now, with Ewers in the fold as the backup developmental option, Jacksonville likely won’t be looking to add Levis.
What the Ewers trade tells us about the QB market
The trade itself says a lot about where the quarterback market sits right now. Ewers, the former Texas quarterback, went from the Dolphins to the Jaguars in a 2028 sixth round pick, per Schefter. That’s two drafts from now, on the final day. That’s the going rate for a young backup quarterback in this environment.
Levis has a higher ceiling than Ewers. That’s something to note. But ceiling doesn’t matter much when teams can acquire a developmental arm for almost nothing.
Where does Will Levis go from here?
With Jacksonville off the board, Levis will have to find another home after Sunday’s cuts. One potential spot is Minnesota, where the Vikings are expected to cut quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the first-round pick from just two years ago in 2024. Minnesota is expected to move on from McCarthy after Kyler Murray won the starting job with backup Carson Wentz behind him.
The Detroit Lions could be another option as I’ve always thought the offensive philosophy and the weapons around starter Jared Goff would be a good learning spot for Levis to restart. The Lions are likely to cut veteran back up and former Titans QB Josh Dobbs after the preseason.
Friday night’s preseason finale against Chicago is Levis’ final audition. What he puts on tape at Nissan Stadium matters for how the next few days unfold. Sunday’s cutdown, the waiver wire process, and practice squad formations all happen in rapid succession early next week. Levis will be watching closely to see which doors open as 32 rosters take shape around him.
