No. 1 Titans veteran who could lose his job to a rookie: Ryan Tannehill, QB
The Titans didn't probably expect Ryan Tannehill to become their starting quarterback when they signed him in 2019 but that's precisely what he did when he took over for an ineffective Marcus Mariota. Since then, the 2013 first-round pick has made 43 starts and completed over 67 percent of his passes. Although his numbers don't pop off of the stat sheet, he's done more than enough to help Tennessee win games and that's what you want from the quarterback position, right?
Unfortunately, Tannehill's tenure in Nashville is nearing its end. Even though half the league would like to have a signal-caller of his caliber, the team needed an upgrade at his position, which is why they wasted no time turning in the card with Will Levis' name when he was still available in the second round of this year's draft.
Projected to go in the first round, Levis will start the season on the bench but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Injuries forced Tannehill to sit out five games last year but he's fully healthy and he's in a position to bounce back. It's true that the Titans revamped their offensive line and it might need a bit of time to gel. Also, the offense is missing a bonafide No. 1 receiver but that could be rectified if the Titans go after DeAndre Hopkins, who's slated to meet with the top brass Sunday, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Media.
So let's say the offense clicks and Tannehill is back to form, Levis could redshirt in 2023. Conversely, the offense won't be fully devoid of talent and if Tannehill regresses the coaching staff could be tempted to roll the dice with Levis to win as many games as possible.
After all, the Titans have undergone many changes in the offseason but it doesn't look like they're planning on waving the white flag anytime soon. Thus, if Tannehill falters at some point of the season, 2023 could signal the start of the Levis era in Tennessee.