NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans know veteran Ryan Tannehill is their starting quarterback.
His backup? That’s a decision they aren’t ready to make yet with their three-game exhibition slate completed and the season opener coming up fast. The Titans will visit the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 10 to kick off the 2023 schedule.
When asked Saturday if he had seen enough to choose either rookie Will Levis or second-year pro Malik Willis as Tannehill’s backup for the opener, Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said, “I don’t think so.”
In April’s NFL draft, the Titans traded up to No. 33 overall, early in the second round, to select Levis, who played at Kentucky. He missed the final two preseason games with an injured left thigh. Levis practiced Wednesday, warmed up before Friday night’s 23-7 preseason finale win over the New England Patriots, then watched from the sideline as the Titans finished 2-1.
Willis also is a quarterback Tennessee traded up to draft; the Titans picked the former Liberty star in the third round at No. 86 overall in 2022, when the team’s general manager was Jon Robinson. He was fired in December and replaced by Ran Carthon.
Willis wound up playing essentially all of the last two exhibition games, with Tannehill starting against New England and handing off three times before heading to the sideline for the rest of the night.
Willis completed 66.1% of his passes in three preseason games, throwing for 485 yards and three touchdowns. He also had four interceptions, including two against the Patriots with bad throws. One was behind rookie tight end Josh Whyle, and the second Willis threw directly to a wide-open linebacker.
NFL teams must cut their roster down to 53 players by Tuesday, and Vrabel said the team will get Levis back on the field this week.
“I thought that Malik took a big step,” Vrabel said of Friday night’s performance. “Unfortunately, you have the turnovers. But again, there was a lot of cool stuff that happened after that.”
Willis started 1-of-5 for 22 yards in the first quarter with the first interception. He rebounded by going 14-of-15 and finished with 211 passing yards and two touchdown throws, including a nice 26-yarder to Kearis Jackson.
Willis finished the preseason second on the team in rushing, averaging 5.9 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown.
One improvement was that Willis showed more patience looking downfield for receivers before taking off. He also was sacked eight times, and Vrabel made clear Saturday all of the team’s offensive linemen need “a big week.”
Levis played in only the preseason opener, a 23-17 loss to the Chicago Bears in which he alternated every two series, with Willis starting. Vrabel said the Titans will see where Levis is when they return to practice.
“For young quarterbacks, they have to be able to play in football games,” Vrabel said of Levis’ limited playing time. “Whether that’s preseason games, that’s where you develop. We’ve got to try to get him ready to go here through practice now.”
There are plenty of other roster decisions to make.
When Michael Badgley joined the Titans as their latest kicker on Tuesday, Vrabel said the team would likely look at others as well. And then Badgley banked his first of three made field goals off the left upright and hooked a 39-yard attempt wide left against the Patriots.
The Titans likely will be looking closely at that position as other NFL teams waive kickers before the cut deadline.
Falcons begin cutting
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons have released offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield, a third-round draft pick in 2021 who couldn’t win a job this preseason as a swing tackle.
Mayfield started 16 games at left guard as a rookie in 2021 but missed last season with a back injury. He focused on tackle during training camp this summer, started at right tackle in a preseason game against the Miami Dolphins and was trying to win a roster spot behind starting tackles Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary.
Mayfield’s release came after Matt Hennessy, who was contending for the starting job at left guard, was lost for the season. Hennessey apparently injured one of his knee and was placed on injured reserve on Aug. 16. Rookie Matthew Bergeron, a second-round draft pick from Syracuse, is expected to start at left guard.
Mayfield’s ability to provide depth at both guard and tackle wasn’t enough to earn the roster position.
He isn’t the first former starter to be cut by Atlanta. Mykal Walker, a starting linebacker in 2022, was released in a surprise move on Aug. 13.
The Falcons also released cornerback Bless Austin and defensive linemen Justin Ellis and Delontae Scott on Saturday.