Shortly after the Tennessee Titans chosen Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the primary decide of the 2025 NFL Draft, Titans normal supervisor Mike Borgonzi hinted that he wished Ward to earn the Week 1 beginning job in a contest with 2023 second-round decide Will Levis.
Throughout a Thursday look on “The Wealthy Eisen Present,” Borgonzi expanded on eager to “create competitors” between Ward and Levis heading into coaching camp.
“I feel the expectation is, you’re taking a quarterback No. 1 general, that he will uplift your franchise and be that man,” Borgonzi defined, Bleacher Report’s Julia Stumbaugh shared. “However a part of our job right here is to handle expectations as we undergo the method right here. Ultimately, that is what we would like it to turn into. However we need to take the correct steps to ensure he is able to go on the market and play, whether or not it’s Week 1, or Week 2 or Week 3. If he hits the bottom operating right here in coaching camp, he’ll be on the market Week 1.”
Titans head coach Brian Callahan benched Levis for poor play this previous December, which suggests Callahan will probably be not less than barely disillusioned if Ward does not emerge because the membership’s starter by the point Tennessee’s remaining preseason sport wraps up. Per Pro Football Reference, Levis ended the 2024 common season ranked final amongst certified gamers with a 27.8 adjusted QBR. Moreover, he was thirty fifth out of 36 signal-callers with a 36.5% passing success charge.
Latest historical past reveals that quarterbacks drafted first general turn into Week 1 starters as rookies — Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bryce Younger of the Carolina Panthers and Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears are all examples. That stated, Borgonzi hopes that Ward’s presence will “convey out the very best in” Levis over the following a number of months.
“Will’s a younger quarterback that is nonetheless growing, however any time you’re taking a quarterback with the No. 1 decide, your anticipation is that he will sooner or later lead the franchise and be a franchise quarterback,” Borgonzi added.
In brief, Levis possible will spend the preseason auditioning for different groups as his present employer prepares handy Ward the keys to its offense.