Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Insider has surprising pick for first QB to get benched in 2023

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 9/28/23

The Tennessee Titans are one of the most dysfunctional teams in the NFL, led by one of the league’s more inconsistent quarterbacks in Ryan Tannehill.

Because of his ineffectiveness (Tannehill is averaging just 182.7 passing yards per game and he’s one of just two starting QBs without multiple touchdown passes), ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes Tannehill will be the first starting quarterback benched in 2023.

“Things look all kinds of wrong in Tennessee after putting up 94 yards of total offense in Sunday's loss to the Browns,” Graziano noted. “Tannehill is not playing well. … I would think there will come a time this season when the Titans want to take a look at Will Levis and/or Malik Willis, but man. If they're hoping to trade Tannehill in the final year of his contract, he probably needs to string together a couple of at least decent games, right?”

Graziano may be onto something.

The Titans have the second-worst offense in the league (240 yards per game), the third-worst passing offense (149.7 yards per game) and scoring offense (15 points per game). They’re the only team in the NFL to have just a single touchdown pass.

32 QB’s have more passing TD’s than Ryan Tannehill. Those QB’s include Justin Fields and Zach Wilson pic.twitter.com/QmaSIdHekp
— Broadway Bullies (@runleftusa) September 26, 2023

Tannehill is among the worst QBs in pretty much every major statistical category. He ranks 28th in passing yards (548), 29th in completion percentage (59), 30th in passer rating (67.7) and 33rd in touchdown passes (one), prompting some to ask when head coach Mike Vrabel will finally pull the plug.

With tough games each of the next three weeks — Cincinnati (1-2), Indianapolis (2-1) and Baltimore (2-1), it’s possible that Tannehill could be benched at any point during that stretch if he continues to struggle like he has.

The Titans spent the 33rd overall pick on Levis in April, and with no fifth-year option, there’s a chance the team could want to see what it has in the 24-year-old rookie sooner rather than later. Tannehill’s ineffectiveness could help expedite that process.

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