As we approach the 2024 NFL season, it's time for some preseason award predictions to start piling in. Are the Tennessee Titans a potential home for any hardware this year?
At the moment, it seems unlikely that any of the major awards would land in Tennessee, but one NFL analyst did include a Titan in his most recent piece talking about possible MVP candidates. CBS Sports' Will Brinson broke down some of his favorite candidates in this column, and in his "long shots," he explained why Will Levis has, at the very least, a shot.
"Levis is a REAL long shot, but I think his number is better than most," Brinson started.
"Levis also has a new coaching staff and I'm bullish on Brian Callahan, especially since he brought his dad Bill along with him to Tennessee. That development should help the run game in a massive way, as should the addition of Tony Pollard along with Tajae Spears in the backfield."
The one thing national media haven't covered enough, this offseason, is the fact that Tennessee's offensive line has the potential to be one of the most-improved units year-over-year, and that comes soley from Bill Callahan's experience and prowess in this area.
Bringing in Callahan might end up proving to be the best move of the offseason in terms of helping Levis develop. It may even be the signature reason why Levis has had such a strong training camp.
Forget the new weapons like Calvin Ridley, Tyler Boyd and Tony Pollard. They are welcomed additions and all three of them are good players. But, the offensive line is the key. Keeping Levis upright and giving him that pocket to operate within is priority number one, thus bringing in Brian Callahan's father.
Brinson did go on to talk about how Levis was endorsed by the great Peyton Manning and pointed out the former Kentucky standout was once viewed as a top-5 pick. Of course, Levis dropped quite a bit and the Titans were able to snag him in the second round. That draft dip is another big reason to buy into Levis. It's a chip on his shoulder.
Where does Will Levis' MVP odds rank among starting quarterbacks?
Just for some context as to how much of a long shot Levis is to win the award, let's look at some of the latest NFL MVP odds from FanDuel and break down the quarterbacks.
Player, Team | Odds |
|---|---|
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs | +500 |
Josh Allen, Bills | +800 |
C.J. Stroud, Texans | +1000 |
Joe Burrow, Bengals | +1000 |
Jordan Love, Packers | +1400 |
Jalen Hurts, Eagles | +1400 |
Lamar Jackson, Ravens | +1500 |
Brock Purdy, 49ers | +1600 |
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins | +2000 |
Dak Prescott, Cowboys | +2000 |
Jared Goff, Lions | +2500 |
Aaron Rodgers, Jets | +2500 |
Matthew Stafford, Rams | +3000 |
Justin Herbert, Chargers | +3000 |
Kirk Cousins, Falcons | +3000 |
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars | +3000 |
Anthony Richardson, Colts | +3500 |
Kyler Murray, Cardinals | +5000 |
Caleb Williams, Bears | +5000 |
Deshaun Watson, Browns | +7500 |
Will Levis, Titans | +10000 |
Other starting quarterbacks who are either at Levis' odds or below them include: Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield, Bryce Young, Derek Carr, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Daniel Jones, Jayden Daniels, Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, Gardner Minshew, Sam Darnold and Bo Nix.
Of course, the above odds go to show that Levis isn't exactly a favorite. If we're being realistic, even including him in a conversation about this year's MVP award is kind of funny, and that's coming from a Titans outlet.
Do we believe in Levis? Absolutely. Heck, if Peyton believes, we have every right to.
But, is Levis on his way to entering MVP discussion yet? He's got a heck of a road ahead to do so, but we'll see.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change