Why the silence on naming Titans' No. 2 quarterback?

Only days before the Titans open the season against New Orleans, Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Monday he hadn’t decided on which young quarterback — Malik Willis or Will Levis — will serve as Ryan Tannehill’s backup. What do we take from that? First, it’s hard to imagine a decision hasn’t actually been reached. What exactly will Willis or Levis show in the next few days of practice that’s different than what Vrabel has seen throughout the entire offseason, training camp and preseason? So maybe Vrabel’s non-committal approach is as simple as employing competitive-advantage strategy.

If the Saints think they might have to face Willis — whether it’s for a few chosen plays or in the event of a Tannehill injury — maybe New Orleans spends at least a little more time in preparation, knowing Willis’ running ability offers the Titans a few more options. If the Saints know for sure that Levis is the backup, the change from Tannehill’s playing style isn’t as significant. Keep the opponent guessing just a little longer, in other words.

But if we’re not seeing a competitive-advantage strategy playing out, it’s hard to imagine Vrabel’s decision not to announce a backup — and he’s been given two opportunities to do so — is good news for Willis. Even if the second-year pro does end up starting the season at No. 2, it can’t make Willis feel too great that Vrabel has yet to say so publicly.

What kind of a confidence boost is that for a guy playing the most important position on the field? And if Willis ends up starting the year at No. 3, well, that wouldn’t say much for the strides he’s made since his rookie season. It would mean the rookie Levis, a 2023 second-round pick, will somehow have earned the backup job despite playing just two quarters of preseason football, and despite taking the vast majority of reps behind Willis since he first set foot on the practice field.

It would mean, effectively, that Willis — who Vrabel said was No. 2 following the team’s drafting of Levis — did as much to lose the backup job as he did to win it over the last several weeks. Unfortunately for Willis, however, a case can be made he did just that.

The Titans’ final preseason game against New England was the perfect illustration. Sure, Willis connected on 15-of-20 passes for 211 yards, smartly using his mobility and downfield vision to connect on two touchdown passes and finishing the game with an impressive quarterback rating of 102. 3.

But Willis also threw two interceptions and fumbled once in that contest, continuing a troubling trend. In approximately 10 quarters of preseason work, Willis threw an NFL-high four interceptions and fumbled four times, which was tied for most in the league. Those numbers came after Willis, in limited time during the 2022 regular season, threw three interceptions and fumbled three times.

How many times have we heard Vrabel — and probably every NFL coach — stress the importance of ball security versus turnovers? “[The penchant for turnovers] has to improve, it has to,” Vrabel said last week. “And [Willis] knows that. All the good things that Malik did, he knows that.

And again, there can be `I'm trying to make a play,’ but at some point in time, we just have to make them good ones and learn from them, not make the same mistake twice. And just knowing coverages and say, ‘I'm not forcing it in there. I'm just going to live to fight another day.

I'm going to check it down. ’” So it is that we wait on the announcement at No. 2, the culmination — at least for the moment — of a battle that was anticipated as soon as the Titans drafted Levis a year after Willis.

If Willis is named backup, it will be a validation of his progress, an indication Vrabel is more encouraged by his play-making ability than concerned with his mistakes. If Levis is named backup, it will show he’s quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff, despite a scarcity of playing snaps in his first preseason. But the latter decision would also mean Willis’ downside is just as significant — maybe more so — than his upside, and once again call into question his long-term outlook with the Titans.

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