The Titans ripped open the team’s wallet during the past offseason, signing 13 players to contracts worth up to $308.3 million, per Over the Cap.
Tennessee was one of just two teams that doled out more than $300 million to free agents, trailing only Jacksonville ($312.8 million) in that department.
Some of the reasons for the spending spree were obvious: The Titans had a ton of money, and the team had a ton of holes to fill.
But Titans head coach Brian Callahan said this week the organization's aggressive free-agency attack was also a sign of confidence in second-year quarterback Will Levis and his future.
“All of that is true,” Callahan said on The New Athletic Football Show podcast. “We feel like we’ve added really high-end pieces at positions that we needed it, and we have a team that is going to be competitive. A lot of that has to do with what I saw from Will, [what] the organization saw from Will in his time as a starter. The things you see in Will are [what] you want to see in your quarterback.
“He’s tough. He plays with a ton of passion. It’s important to him. He wants to be good. And then you add in the physical part of it. He’s athletic, he’s strong, he can throw it as good as anybody. You saw the flashes of his ability ... I just love everything he’s about. He’s got real talent and [the] ability to be a high-level quarterback in the NFL. Those are the things I’m excited about.”
Callahan singled out Levis’ powerful arm and the quarterback’s toughness as two traits in particular that gave the first-year head coach optimism.
Levis averaged 12.1 yards per completion last season, fourth-best in the NFL among quarterbacks who started at least eight games. In addition, Pro Football Focus gave Levis a 79.6 grade on his deep throws after the young quarterback completed 22-of-57 attempts of 20-or-more yards downfield, totaling four touchdowns and three interceptions.
“He’s got a big arm and some of his down-the-field throws last year were really impressive,” Callahan said. “He can make every throw you want him to make.
“That comeback game against Miami, and the grittiness he played with against Pittsburgh ... in his first year ... stood out.”
One area of improvement for Levis, per Callahan on the podcast, is improving his accuracy. Levis completed 58.4 percent of his passes as a rookie, which ranked 32nd (last) among quarterbacks that started at least eight games.
But there’s reason to think Levis can do better, as he connected on 65.7 percent of his passes in his two years at Kentucky. In addition, the Titans’ improved offensive line and wide receiver corps should benefit Levis.
“You see that with some pieces around him, [we’re] really trying to put [him] in position to be successful offensively,” Callahan said. “If we can get his completion percentage up, be a little more efficient in the passing game and still hit those big shots, he’s got a chance to be a really good player.”
Callahan also said he’d like to see the 6-4, 229-pound Levis take fewer big hits in 2024.
“I think all quarterbacks go through a period of time when they have to earn their teammate’s respect, like, `Hey, I can do this. I’m tough enough to play the position the way it needs to be played,’” Callahan said. “He did some kind of wild horse-rider stuff out there a little bit, took a couple big shots. But ultimately, I think that’s what endeared him to his teammates and what rallied the team around him.”