Cam Ward and Will Levis had opposite experiences entering the NFL, but now they’re in the same place: battling for the right to start in Week 1. It is no secret that coach Brian Callahan isn’t exactly thrilled with Levis, which is why Ward is with the team.
While the Shedeur Sanders competition is taking center stage with the Cleveland Browns, the Ward and Levis battle is another key offseason storyline. The story, however, has taken the slow-burn approach.
Will Levis and Cam Ward’s QB Battle Put On Pause, but Not Really
Speaking to reporters in a Tennessee Titans press conference via Pro Football Talk, the head coach set expectations for the coming days. In short, not very much.
“We’re not competing right now,” Callahan said. “It’ll change probably a little bit when we get to the actual OTAs and we’ve got 7-on-7 and teamwork and stuff like that. But right now, they’re really not going against anybody, so we just roll through it.”
Callahan went on to gauge how close the two were at this moment.
“They’re probably roughly about even all the way through, which is pretty standard for this time of year.”
If Ward or Levis lagged massively behind, the coach would know, which sets a dark tone even if the competition isn’t underway “right now,” in Callahan’s words.
Evaluating Reasons to Start Ward or Levis in Week 1
Both quarterbacks have their own arguments for starting. If Week 1 were tomorrow, Levis has the edge in NFL experience.
However, Ward has plenty of untapped potential and a college resume that blows Levis’ out of the water. Ward led the FBS in passing touchdowns and won nearly half a dozen awards, including the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year in 2024.
Levis, meanwhile, threw for just 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his final college season.
In the NFL, he also went 5-16 over the course of two seasons and finished 34th in PFSN’s QB+ metrics in 2024.
Put simply, Levis’s argument is that he’s done it before and can buy time for Ward to develop, but his history leaves plenty of room for improvement. On the other hand, Ward appears to have already pulled even with him in less than a month in the same building.
The answer appears clear for Titans fans. Will Ward beat the clock to win over Callahan in time for Week 1?