Mike Vrabel Discusses Titans' QB Situation After Drafting Will Levis

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel isn't going to immediately change his quarterback depth chart after the team selected Will Levis with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

Speaking to reporters after Day 2 of the draft, Vrabel explained Levis will have to beat out Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis to move up the pecking order.

"Ryan will be the starting quarterback on Monday," he said. "Malik will be the backup. Will will be the third quarterback. And what I've told them is whatever happens after that will be up to the players. That's what it's always been here. That's what we always want it to be."

The Titans have indicated they would be comfortable going into 2023 with Tannehill as their starter.

"Just to let you guys in, Ryan and I had a conversation back in February that was between Ryan and I, and Ryan and our organization, so Ryan knows where he stands with us, and that's really all that matters to me," general manager Ran Carthon told reporters on Monday.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter last weekend opposing teams believe Tannehill "could be, or is, available via trade" and the Titans would try to move up or down in the first round of the draft.

Tennessee wound up staying put at No. 11 to select Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski.

After Levis fell out of the first round, the Titans seemed to prioritize getting him early in Round 2. They moved up eight spots in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals to bring him in.

Trading or releasing Tannehill, who is in the final season of his contract, would save Tennessee $17.8 million against the cap in 2023. The organization does seem to be in a state of rebuilding, though it doesn't appear to be a full-scale roster teardown.

Free-agent signings Sean Murphy-Bunting, Azeez Al-Shaair, Arden Key, Andre Dillard and Daniel Brunskill could all end up starting.

Willis' status with the Titans will be a storyline throughout organized team activities and training camp. Vrabel seemed to sour on him at the end of last season by starting Joshua Dobbs, who signed with the team on Dec. 21, for the final two games.

Dobbs hadn't started a game since his senior year at Tennessee in 2016.

If the Titans keep Tannehill, he will give them a potential bridge to Levis if the 23-year-old doesn't look ready to start immediately as a rookie.