Titans backup quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Malik Willis are competing to be No. 2 behind Will Levis when the regular season starts, and so far there’s been no clear winner in that competition.
Rudolph has been ahead of Willis in training camp, but Willis got the start in Saturday’s preseason game, and head coach Brian Callahan said they both played well enough to stay in contention for the backup job.
“We’ll let this thing play out another week,” Callahan said. “This time next week we’ll be able to make a decision and determination on who the 2 will be, and what happens with the third spot, if we keep three or practice squad three, or we just go with two.”
Rudolph still appears to be the favorite, which would then make Willis expendable. Two years after the Titans drafted Willis in the third round, he still hasn’t developed as a passer the way the team hoped, and he might end up on waivers, where some other team could claim him and take a chance that he’ll develop the talent that so far has looked awfully raw.
Levis and the rest of the Titans’ offensive starters sat out their second preseason game, but they’ll be back on the field for the third and final preseason game on Sunday against the Saints. Rudolph and Willis will both get time after Levis plays about three possessions, and then Callahan will have a decision to make about the second quarterback on his depth chart.