NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Will Levis will start for the Titans on Sunday when they visit the Los Angeles Chargers after the second-year quarterback missed the last three games with an injured shoulder, coach Brian Callahan said Friday.
“There’s no need to wait," Callahan told reporters after practice. "He had a really good week of practice. He’s looked good, the best he’s looked in a couple of weeks, so I’m excited to see him go forward.”
Levis sprained the AC joint in his right, throwing shoulder against Miami on Sept. 30 diving for a first down. Tennessee had its bye, and then Levis played Oct. 13 in a home loss to Indianapolis. Levis admitted after that game his shoulder played a role in a late-game interception that factored into the three-point loss.
The Titans pulled Levis and played backup Mason Rudolph, who went 1-2 starting the past three games for Tennessee (2-6).
Team officials want to give Levis the whole season to determine whether or not he is the long-term answer at quarterback. Before the injury, Levis had struggled with turnovers, throwing seven interceptions and losing three fumbles. He has completed 83 of 125 passes in five starts for 699 yards and five touchdowns.
“I just want to make sure that I can go out there and make all the throws the way that I could before I got hurt, and it’s an everyday process of testing different things and coming off the field and monitoring my soreness or pain level throughout the day,” Levis said Thursday. “So it’s just been that, and I’ll know when I’m ready, when I know I’m making those throws.”
Callahan said Levis has not only looked better in practice this week, but is feeling better as well.
“I think he’s dealing with the minor soreness, but it’s the best he’s felt and it’s the best he’s thrown. He looks ready to go,” Callahan said.
Sneed out
Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed will miss his fourth straight game with a quadriceps injury. Callahan explained the injury initially diagnosed as a thigh bruise also involved a strain in the muscle after an MRI exam.
“It was initially a pretty substantial quad bruise,” Callahan said. “But on top of the quad bruise, there was a quad strain that went with it. So now you’re dealing with a bruise and a strain, and muscle strains can keep you out awhile. That was something we found out after the fact when the bruise wasn’t getting better fast enough, so he went to get an MRI to see what was going in there and it showed a pretty significant strain.”
Callahan said most of the Titans on the injury report are expected to play. But right guard Dillon Radunz, who missed last week’s game with turf toe, and running back Tyjae Spears, who has missed three games with an injured hamstring, both will work out Sunday to see if either can play.
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Terry Mccormick, The Associated Press
