Will Levis' rookie season was, by most measures, a pleasant surprise.
The 2023 second-round pick didn't finish with a winning record as a starter (3-6) for the last-place Titans, but he did show enough moxie and potential to convince Tennessee to proceed forward with him as their starter. With new coach Brian Callahan now in charge, the hope is that the offensive-minded leader will direct Levis to greater heights.
At least, that's what Callahan foresees.
"Everything he's done so far, he's ready for the moment. There's no question in my mind," Callahan said Monday of Levis, . "He's going to have to play well for us, obviously. But, just as his demeanor, his confidence, his comfort with the offense, all of those things have shown that, he's ready to go play football.
"I can't wait to see it, and I'm excited for him to be able to show people, how far he's come as well. So it's, it's exciting for both of us in that regard."
Tennessee was in rough shape offensively last season, and tossed Levis into the action out of necessity. The rookie handled the situation better than most expected, with his high-water mark arriving in a comeback win over the Miami Dolphins in Florida.
Now, the Titans have restocked the offensive cupboard, adding Tyler Boyd and Calvin Ridley to their receiving corps, and replacing franchise legend Derrick Henry with Tony Pollard. With an offseason of work under his belt, Levis feels as if he's about to stun the NFL world at an even greater magnitude in 2024.
"I think it's just the tape I've put on, being able to watch myself throughout camp and improve in the areas I've talked about before," Levis said. "It's given me confidence to be able to go out there and do it on Sundays. With all the reps I've gotten the past few weeks, all the mental reps I've gotten in, and the studying I've done, I just feel ready and I'm looking forward to putting it on display."
Thanks to the emergence of the Houston Texans, the persistence of the Indianapolis Colts and the existence of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee embarks on a 2024 season in a suddenly challenging division. Their expectations remain low, but after a busy offseason, they're entering the new campaign with more optimism than they had a year ago.
It will be up to Levis and Callahan to deliver on their word, starting Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bears.
