Another Will Levis stat that highlights what Cam Ward has to do better

Cam Ward has to be the anti-Will Levis for the Tennessee Titans in 2025

Everyone knows Will Levis struggled mightily for the Tennessee Titans in 2024. Poor quarterback play was the primary reason why the Titans earned the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. That’s why Mike Borgonzi drafted Cam Ward to replace Levis.

Just about every Levis stat and advanced metric from last season highlights how poorly he performed. Take a look around social media and every statistical graph has Levis ranked at-or-near the bottom among starting quarterbacks.

Another Pro Football Focus stat was recently revealed that highlights one area Ward has to be better in.

Levis had the sixth-lowest checkdown rate (3.8%) on third and fourth down in 2024, per PFF. Only Michael Penix Jr., Trevor Lawrence, Daniel Jones, Josh Allen, and Bryce Young had lower rates.

That’s not good company to keep.

Penix Jr. was a midseason rookie starter, Jones was released, the jury remains out on Young, and Lawrence was injured. Allen is an anomaly, with his superhero trait being his ability to extend the pocket and generate explosive plays.

There are other factors. The Titans were routinely behind the sticks on third and fourth downs, forcing Levis to take deeper developing shots. But Levis’ inability (or refusal) to play within the structure of Brian Callahan’s offense routinely got him in trouble.

For example, some of the quarterbacks with a higher percentage checkdown rate on money downs included effective starters such as Lamar Jackson, Geno Smith, and Bo Nix.

Ward must take notice. The Titans have gone to great lengths to improve their offensive line this offseason, signing Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler to lucrative contracts, moves that prompted JC Latham to return to his more natural right tackle position. Better protection could positively alter the environment for Tennessee’s starting quarterback in 2025, but Ward must still play within structure and take checkdowns when fruitful.

Ward projects as significantly more impactful than Levis. His ability to play on time and within structure at Miami was an underrated trait the Titans identified and appreciated during the pre-draft process. But like Allen, Ward prefers to keep his eyes downfield when extending the pocket.

It occasionally got Ward in trouble, with a 3.3% turnover-worthy-play-rate in 2024. Callahan won’t change Ward as a quarterback, but honing on his already present ability to make timely decisions will be emphasized.

Levis’ refusal to make risk-averse checkdown throws in 2024 is a cautionary tale.