Titans challenge Malik Willis amid Will Levis hype

The Tennessee Titans still expect Malik Willis to prove himself even though he may merely be holding a spot on the depth chart warm for rookie Will Levis. 

For a piece published Thursday, ESPN's Turron Davenport noted that new Titans quarterback coach and passing game coordinator Charles London and other members of the staff want Willis to spend the summer break improving upon springtime workouts. Willis is working with trainer Quincy Avery until players report for training camp sessions. 

"He can't come back here at the end of July and we have to start from scratch again," London said about Willis. "He must continue to improve and master the offense so when we come back we can hit the ground running."

The Titans spent a third-round pick to acquire Willis in the 2022 NFL Draft and then seemingly played the 24-year-old well before he was ready for competitive action after starter Ryan Tannehill went down with an ankle injury. In total, Willis went 1-2 as a starter and completed 50.8% of 61 passes for 276 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions to go along with 123 rushing yards and a score on 27 carries. 

NBC Sports' Peter King wrote before this year's draft that he heard the Titans had "lost faith" in Willis. Shortly after Tennessee moved up to select Levis in this year's draft, AFC South reporter Ben Arthur of Fox Sports suggested the organization could move on from Willis as soon as this summer. 

Willis noted last week that he is "focusing on what I can control" even though logic suggests his coaches and the team's front office are banking on Levis eventually emerging as a future QB1. That doesn't mean Willis appeared uncomfortable while practicing alongside the first-year pro this spring. 

"He seems a lot more confident in the huddle," tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo said about Willis. "When he's calling the plays and with his reads, he's a lot more decisive with the ball."

The Titans could still trade or cut Tannehill by the final day of August to start either Willis or Levis for the regular-season opener at the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 10. For now, Willis must show during the summer months he's no longer the overmatched rookie who flopped across games he and the Titans likely would prefer to forget.