Should the Titans carry three quarterbacks?

Tennessee’s Ryan Tannehill era is coming to an end, and in 2024, Will Levis is expected to start every game at quarterback. On the depth chart, the Titans have two signal-callers behind him, but both may make roster cuts.

Malik Willis was chosen by Tennessee in the third round of the 2022 draft, placing him in a class that was not well rated either before or after the event. As a rookie, the 25-year-old had three starts, but it became evident toward the end that Mike Vrabel’s coaching staff did not believe in him. Willis only made three appearances and attempted five passes in the previous season, while Levis eventually took Tannehill’s place as the starting quarterback.

The Titans, to no surprise, have not re-signed Tannehill (who remains on the open market). The team did, however, bring in an experienced backup option in the form of Mason Rudolph. The ex-Steeler inked a one-year deal with a base value of $2.87MM to head to Nashville. Rudolph, 28, will spend training camp competing with Willis for the backup spot.

Regardless of how that battle turns out, though, all three passers could make the team’s initial 53-man roster. Team reporter Jim Wyatt writes the Titans could carry both Rudolph and Willis even if the latter loses out on the QB2 gig. Willis has two years remaining on his rookie contract and keeping him in the fold would allow him to continue developing under new head coach Brian Callahan. On the other hand, the Liberty alum’s underwhelming pro career to date could make him a relatively safe candidate to clear waivers at the end of the summer.

Under the new regulations, teams can dress signal-callers as an emergency third quarterback on game days by elevating them to an unlimited number of practice squad positions. Because of this, it’s common for many NFL rosters to have just two passers on the 53-man roster when the season begins. There are still many unknowns, but the Titans might be poised to be an anomaly in that sense.