2023 NFL Power Rankings: Tennessee Titans

Young riser: RB Tyjae Spears

Spears is averaging 5.5 yards per carry and is the future feature back for the Titans' offense. His electrifying playmaking ability and versatility have inspired the Titans staff to find ways to get him more touches on offense, even if that's at the expense of carries for Derrick Henry. He has played 168 offensive snaps to Henry's 188 snaps, with most of them coming on the field together. The rookie running back is also a threat in the passing game, whether it's catching the ball out of the backfield or lining up at wide receiver. Titans coach Mike Vrabel also trusts Spears in pass protection on third downs. -- Turron Davenport

Ryan Tannehill (high ankle sprain) remains out indefinitely, Treylon Burks and Chig Okonkwo are having a disappointing sophomore campaign and the once-ballyhooed pass rush has gone AWOL. Oh, and the Titans are 0-3 away from home and soon face a three-game road swing, all vs. opponents that are currently .500 or better. Time to start evaluating Will Levis? My suspicion: If Tennessee is anywhere near contention, Mike Vrabel will continue pushing for the playoffs, delaying Levis' audition. We've seen Malik Willis and know what he is to this point. But Vrabel and the Titans must be smart about knowing when to turn to 2024. I'm guessing the Falcons regret not giving Desmond Ridder a longer look last year, and that's a place in which the Titans don't want to end up.

They come off their bye without quarterback Ryan Tannehill. That means it's Malik Willis and Will Levis for a bit and maybe longer if the Kevin Byard trade means they are having a fire sale.

Has the teardown begun? Offloading All-Pro S Kevin Byard for little more than a song seems fairly indicative a transition is afoot.

One question: What's the plan at quarterback?

Eleven-year veteran Ryan Tannehill has the lowest winning percentage (.333), passer rating (71.9, 31st in NFL) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (2-6) of his career. Malik Willis, the Titans' 2022 third-round pick, hasn't looked like the answer in limited fill-in duty, and Will Levis, the 2023 second-round pick, can't even get on the field. Tennessee looks like it will be bad enough to draft the No. 3 quarterback in this upcoming class (whoever that turns out to be), but how much capital do the Titans have to invest to get the position figured out?

How do the Titans fall during a week off? Well, several teams below them scored big wins. And they're faced with the very real prospect of starting an inexperienced quarterback against Atlanta next week, whether it's Malik Willis or Will Levis.

The Titans traded safety Kevin Byard to the Eagles for safety Terrell Edmunds along with a fifth- and sixth-round draft pick. That is probably the signal to the rest of the league that the Titans are willing to trade anyone before the deadline. Stay tuned.

First, Kevin Byard. Next, Derrick Henry?

Tweets by @EDSFootball