NASHVILLE — Will Levis has always wanted to be in the driver’s seat, and he certainly has the wheel with the Tennessee Titans counting on him as their starting quarterback.
Their challenge is protecting the rookie enough to avoid hurting both his confidence and his body.
Winning more games would help, too.
Nobody knows that more than the offensive linemen tasked with keeping Levis upright, which hasn’t been easy through his first three NFL games. Injuries, draft picks who haven’t panned out and free agents who fizzled have turned a line revamped during the offseason into a patchwork group.
Dillon Radunz, a second-round pick in 2021 out of Football Championship Subdivision dynasty North Dakota State, said Wednesday there’s no more excuses with the Titans just 3-6 and sitting at the bottom of the AFC South Division standings.
“I’d say we feel like we have something to prove, that we need to go out there and show it,” Radunz said. “And yeah, I think we’re going to be able to do that.”
Radunz, who has made eight starts in 31 career games, is next up to replace Andre Dillard at left tackle. Dillard is the free agent signed in March by new general manager Ran Carthon. Nicholas Petit-Frere had the last shot before a shoulder injury put him on injured reserve.
Coach Mike Vrabel said rookie Jaelyn Duncan also would work at left tackle with Dillard currently in the concussion protocol after getting hurt in last week’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tennessee also may get back veteran right guard Daniel Brunskill back after he missed a game with an injured right ankle. Brunskill was limited at practice Wednesday, and the Titans claimed lineman Calvin Throckmorton off waivers from the Carolina Panthers. He has 27 starts over three seasons at left and right guard.
Levis, the No. 33 pick overall out of Kentucky, has been sacked 10 times this season. Ryan Tannehill, the veteran starter he has replaced, was sacked 19 times through the first six starts before being sidelined by an injured right ankle sustained during an Oct. 15 game. On Wednesday, he practiced fully for the first time since then.
The Titans finish a three-game road swing Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3), who are first in the AFC South standings but have posted just 18 sacks this season. Tennessee is so banged up that when Dillard was hurt, Radunz was forced to move from right guard — where Andrew Rupcich, an undrafted free agent who played in the NAIA in college, replaced him.
Brunskill went through a quarterback change last season with the San Francisco 49ers and played in front of a rookie quarterback, Brock Purdy. Brunskill likes Levis’ confidence, which can be hard for a young quarterback during games.
“If you’re in a huddle with a guy that’s kind of like shaking and stuff like … now you get a little nervous,” Brunskill said. “But you got a guy out there with the confidence, it’s amazing what he can do. And then as much as we can get that experience for him, I mean, he’s going to do really good things.”
That means giving Levis more time to throw. He has been sacked four times in the past two games, both losses.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson knows the Titans are hurting in front of Levis.
“It does affect you a little bit,” Pederson said. “He can move around. He’s tough. He’s got a really good arm. He can throw it from all different angles.”
While Tennessee works on ways to protect the rookie, Levis is working to stick to the game plan.
“Obviously there’s some times where there are answers that you can kind of turn to if there is a pressure, whether we’re not picking it up or it’s coming a little faster,” Levis said, adding that it’s about “just keeping your wits about you and keep instilling confidence in those guys up front.”
Unfortunately for the Titans, the injuries aren’t limited to the line. Wide receiver Treylon Burks remains in the concussion protocol with Dillard, with neither practicing Wednesday, while cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (right thumb) was limited after missing much of the past two games.