The Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Will Levis out of the University of Kentucky in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. His backup days behind Ryan Tannehill didn’t last long.
Levis made his first start of his career in Week 8 and did so with a bang. In his first NFL action, Levis went off against the Atlanta Falcons to the tune of four touchdowns, 238 passing yards, a 65.5 completion percentage, and a rating of 130.5.
The flashes are there, but he’s still working on establishing the consistency necessary for elite QB play. Let’s take a closer look at Levis’ contract details and see what type of window the Titans are working with.
Will Levis’ Salary
According to Spotrac, Levis signed a four-year, $9.5 million contract with Tennessee that included a $3.9 million signing bonus, $8.7 million in guarantees, and an average annual salary of $2.4 million.
In 2024, Levis will earn a base salary of $915,000 and carry a cap hit of $2.1 million. Because the Titans selected him in the second round instead of the first round, they are not afforded the fifth-year extension team option to retain Levis.
2023
- Base salary: $750,000
- Cap hit: $1,734,939
- Yearly cash: $4,689,756
2024
- Base salary: $915,000
- Cap hit: $2,168,674
- Yearly cash: $1,183,735
2025
- Base salary: $1,030,000
- Cap hit: $2,602,409
- Yearly cash: $1,617,470
2026
- Base salary: $1,145,000
- Cap hit: $3,036,143
- Yearly cash: $2,051,204
As far as NFL quarterback money goes, this is as palatable a contract as it gets to have on the books. It becomes even better if Levis can assert himself as an unquestioned QB1 going forward. If Levis can do so, the Titans can have little cap spending allocated to the QB position, allowing the team to have more freedom to add pieces around him.
Such luxury is being used by the San Francisco 49ers right now as Brock Purdy is still on a rookie deal that is paying him the salary allotted for a seventh-round draft pick. As a result, they have been able to continue to load up on talent and put a team around him good enough to win a championship.
KEEP READING: Will Levis’ Net Worth
The idea of hitting big on a rookie QB has often been compared to winning the lottery, and it isn’t that far-fetched of a concept. If Levis can be what Tennessee hopes, it could send the team laughing to the bank.
Everything is riding on the rapport between Levis and head coach Brian Callahan, whose familiarity with the Bengals’ offensive scheme should open doors for Levis’ development.