The Tennessee Titans are expected to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. While they are still assessing Shedeur Sanders, the strong indication is that they prefer Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. Once the Titans hand-pick their next franchise QB, last year's starter Will Levis should find himself on the trade block.
The 25-year-old Levis won't be interested in mentoring Sanders or Ward. Furthermore, the Titans have acted like a franchise preparing to move on from Levis this offseason. General manager Mike Borgonzi signed two veteran arms in free agency, adding Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle to the roster. Given his history with head coach Brian Callahan, Allen feels like the next backup quarterback.
There have already been conflicting reports regarding Levis' availability. His physical upside will attract interest. We've identified three potential landing spots.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings decided against re-signing last year's starter Sam Darnold, who joined the Seattle Seahawks. They also attempted to re-sign Daniel Jones, but he chose to pursue an opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts instead. That leaves sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy as the lone quarterback on the roster. McCarthy missed his entire rookie campaign with an injury and is now being inserted into the lineup as the starter.
Minnesota has even been linked to veteran free-agent quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who hasn't thrown a pass since January 2024. Head coach Kevin O'Connell possesses a brilliant offensive line. His willingness to take on Jones last season, following his release from the New York Giants, legitimizes his interest in project quarterbacks. Levis would be a high-upside insurance piece behind McCarthy.
Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is another coach who appreciates a quarterback project. He helped revive Baker Mayfield and his flailing career before his full-blown resurgence with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. McVay knows Levis well and should see the potential to develop him into an eventual successor for Matthew Stafford.
The 34-year-old Jimmy Garoppolo is the backup QB on an expiring contract. Former fourth-round pick Stetson Bennett is still under contract as well, despite being placed on the reserve/non-football illness list. Few details have been provided about Bennett's future. Levis would offer McVay significantly more upside than the other quarterbacks currently behind Stafford on the depth chart.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Inner-divisional trades for quarterbacks are rare, but an agreement between the Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars doesn't feel impossible. If the Titans are outright giving up on Levis, they don't fear his potential to develop into a franchise signal-caller. The Jaguars' interest in Levis would be straightforward.
New head coach Liam Coen previously coached Levis at Kentucky. Levis enjoyed his best season with Coen as his offensive coordinator in 2021, throwing for 24 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 yards. Trevor Lawrence was paid like a franchise quarterback, but he's struggled with injuries and inconsistencies two years in a row. Nick Mullens isn't an appropriate backup given the circumstances. Coach and quarterback should welcome an opportunity to reunite.
