Jets add former Titans starter Will Levis to practice squad
The New York Jets signed former Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis to their practice squad on Tuesday and released quarterback Bailey Zappe to create room. The move makes the 27-year-old the club’s third-string quarterback behind starter Geno Smith and rookie Cade Klubnik, meaning Levis would be inactive on game day unless he is promoted from the practice roster.
Levis was a second-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft and has appeared in 21 starts through his first two professional seasons. He missed the entire 2025 season after shoulder surgery and was released by the Titans during final roster cuts in August. The Jets had hosted him for a workout earlier in September before deciding to add him to the practice squad this week.
Immediate roster context in New York
The Jets also shuffled other personnel following their 20-17 overtime loss to Green Bay. New York placed defensive lineman David Onyemata (groin), linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball (ankle) and wide receiver Arian Smith (knee) on injured reserve. Those moves open active-roster spots that the Jets filled by signing linebacker Troy Reeder, wide receiver Malik McClain and defensive lineman Jack Heflin. Defensive tackle Isaiah Loudermilk and tight end Cody Hardy were also added to the practice squad.
With Levis joining the practice unit, the Jets prepare for their upcoming road game at Detroit on Sunday. Practice-squad quarterbacks are routinely kept as depth options; promotion to the active roster would be required for him to dress on game day.
Levis’s NFL résumé
The former Kentucky quarterback began his career as a third-string option but started nine games as a rookie. He entered the 2024 season as Tennessee’s starter but missed three full games and much of a fourth with a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder.
| Career figures | Total |
|---|---|
| Starts (first two seasons) | 21 |
| Passing yards | 3,899 |
| Touchdowns | 21 |
| Interceptions | 16 |
| Fumbles lost | 5 |
Those numbers reflect both promise and challenges: Levis has shown arm talent and the capacity to assume a starting role, but turnovers and inconsistency have been recurring concerns during his early career.
“There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me,” Levis said in August, expressing his belief that he remains capable of starting in the NFL.
What this means for Levis, the team and fans
For Levis personally, the signing represents an opportunity to re-establish himself in an NFL environment after missing a season for surgery and being released by Tennessee. For the Jets, adding an experienced young quarterback to the practice squad deepens depth behind an established starter and a rookie backup.
- Depth: Levis provides an experienced arm for practices and a potential emergency option should injuries force a promotion.
- Competition: His presence may influence the Jets’ evaluation of quarterback depth and future roster decisions.
- Availability: As a practice-squad member, Levis will be inactive on game day unless promoted to the active roster.
While the signing is a routine roster move in the NFL calendar, it may attract attention because of Will Levis’s profile — a high draft pick whose early career featured starts, surgery and a recent release — and because of the coincidence his surname shares with this city of Lévis, south of Quebec City. The two are unrelated.
The Jets’ final roster changes and the status of injured players will determine whether Levis is elevated in the coming days. For now, he joins New York’s practice ranks, ready to work with the team behind its starter and rookie backup.
