Ryan Tannehill has an added pressure on his shoulders in Tennessee this upcoming season.
The Titans took advantage of Malik Willis’ 2022 NFL Draft slide. They selected the former Liberty standout in the third round.
Willis will one day be handed the reins to the Titans’ offense. Until then, Tannehill will continue running the show, but he’ll likely be on a short leash.
Tannehill told reporters on Tuesday that the Titans’ front office didn’t even tell him they were going to draft Willis.
“Ryan Tannehill said he wasn’t informed ahead of time that the #titans were drafting Malik Willis. He did call Willis right after he was drafted to congratulate him,” James Palmer tweeted.
Does Tannehill have anything to worry about right now? Probably not. But make no mistake; Willis will one day become his successor.
Fans have long complained about Tannehill’s limitations. His play has often become a roadblock in the postseason.
Willis, meanwhile, is oozing with potential. In his last season at Liberty, he completed 61.1 percent of his throws for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns with 12 assists. He also picked up 878 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
It’ll be up to Tannehill to fend off the young Willis. Expectations are high in Tennessee ahead of the 2022 season.