There is a lot of recent history that would indicate the opposite, but the New York Jets might actually give failed former Tennessee Titans draft pick Will Levis a fighting chance at being a reclamation project in the NFL.
After an impressive workout, the Jets signed Levis to their practice squad, replacing Bailey Zappe and adding some intrigue to the New York quarterback situation.
Levis started a total of 21 games for the Titans from 2023-24, but obviously didn't play well enough to warrant the team continuing to invest in him beyond those 21 games. The Titans may have been holding out for Levis to draw some trade offers this offseason, but that didn't happen, so he was let go at final roster cuts.
Now, his journey toward becoming one of the next quarterbacks to be rehabilitated in a new city has officially gotten underway.
Will Levis signs with Jets' practice squad to begin his reclamation project journey
Even with his struggles as a starter, it was a little surprising to see no immediate demand for Levis. He's only 27 years old, and quarterbacks are the most valuable currency in the NFL.
And especially in recent years, we've seen a lot of talented quarterbacks get discarded by the teams that drafted them, only to see them grow and have huge success in new cities.
Some of the big examples are the obvious ones, like Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks or Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We've also seen players like Daniel Jones thrive in new cities, and even to a different degree, someone like former Titans draft pick Malik Willis.
What we saw from Willis during his time with the Titans was atrocious, so the Packers were doing Tennessee a favor by taking him off their hands when they did. But some time in Matt LaFleur's system not only turned Willis into a top-tier backup quarterback, but the brain trust with the Miami Dolphins felt like he was worth investing in as a potential starter at the position.
And the jury's still out on that one as Willis's journey continues in Miami.
The point of saying all that is simple: Will Levis's NFL journey is far from over.
Development in the NFL is rarely linear, and Levis wasn't exactly part of the most stable version of the Tennessee Titans that we've seen in recent years. That doesn't mean he is exempt from the poor decisions he made on the field or the "meme" he became almost every time he took the field, but surroundings matter in the NFL.
The New York Jets are not the NFL's greatest model of organizational stability in recent years, but they have a much better situation right now than they did two years ago.
Not only do the Jets have a solid nucleus of young talent at the skill positions, but they've played some pretty darn good defense through the first two weeks of this season, and they have a lot more to work with to build the team in the future. They have 3 first-round picks on tap for the 2027 NFL Draft.
So that Jets team is an ascending roster, gaining some stability, setting a new foundation, and they just so happen to have a long-term question mark at the quarterback position.
Levis has a real shot to thrive there if he plays his cards right.
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