Injury to backup gives quarterback Will Levis unexpected reps at Titans camp
When the Tennessee Titans closed training camp practice on Aug. 3, 2026, one of the storylines that emerged centred on Will Levis, the third-string quarterback who suddenly found himself working higher in the pecking order. The change followed an injury to veteran backup Mitch Trubisky, who left practice early with what head coach Robert Saleh described as a biceps issue on his throwing arm.
Levis — the former Kentucky Wildcat and Penn State Nittany Lion — had been "tracking toward his release," according to reporting from the camp, but the timing of Trubisky’s arm problem opened a narrow window for him to show the Titans coaching staff more than he had earlier in the pre-season period.
“Trubisky’s getting looked at for his bicep. I think we’re good, but again, I’m the eternal optimist, so I’ll let you guys know tomorrow,”
Saleh made the comment during his post-practice press conference after Monday’s session at the Vanderbilt Health Football Center in Nashville. The coach’s caution leaves the situation fluid, but even a short absence for Trubisky could be consequential.
Opportunity in practice and the run-up to roster cuts
With Trubisky limited, Levis closed Monday’s practice by taking second-team reps during a two-minute drill. Reporters noted that he was working with what were described as stronger positional groups — line, receivers and running backs — than he had earlier, giving him a better platform to demonstrate command of the offence.
The timing is critical. The days following that Monday included joint practices with the Seattle Seahawks later in the week and a nationally televised preseason game against the Super Bowl champions on Sunday. For a player on the bubble, reps in those sessions can influence the coaching staff’s evaluation before final roster decisions later in August.
- Location: Vanderbilt Health Football Center, Nashville, Tenn.
- Date of the highlighted practice: Aug. 3, 2026
- Immediate change: Levis took second-team reps during a two-minute drill after Trubisky exited practice early
What’s at stake
The Titans need Trubisky available for the full scope of camp work and preseason preparation; Saleh’s comment that he was an "eternal optimist" indicates the team is hoping the problem is short-lived. If Trubisky misses additional days, Levis would receive more meaningful repetitions and potentially face the Seahawks’ second-team defence in joint practices or appear in the preseason game — scenarios that could influence the Titans’ final roster construction.
| Player | Role at camp | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Will Levis | Third-string QB (worked second-team reps on Aug. 3) | Took two-minute drill reps after Trubisky left practice |
| Mitch Trubisky | Backup QB | Exited practice with biceps concern on throwing arm |
For Levis the player, the sequence is straightforward: more snaps can equate to more evaluative data for the coaching staff. For fans and observers, the developing situation underscores how quickly fortunes can change during NFL training camp.
For readers in the city of Levis, the coincidence of a hometown-sounding surname in professional football has drawn notice: an otherwise routine camp development creates a human interest notch as a player bearing the city’s name fights to secure his place on an NFL roster.
As the Titans return to practice, questions remain about whether Trubisky will sit out any upcoming work and how the club will handle joint practices with Seattle and the upcoming preseason game. Those answers will inform whether Will Levis’s recent elevation in practice reps becomes a sustained opportunity or a brief, provisional audition ahead of regular-season roster decisions.
