Titans Reveal Plans for Malik Willis in First Preseason Game

The Tennessee Titans open up Week 1 of the NFL preseason with a clash against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Aug. 11. Though most of the Titans' starters are unlikely to play, their fanbase is hoping to catch a glimpse of rookie quarterback Malik Willis in action.

The good news is that fans will get to watch the first-year gunslinger on Thursday. Titans insider Jim Wyatt has confirmed that the team is aiming for both Willis and fellow backup QB Logan Woodside to "play roughly a half" of this week's exhibition game.

Malik Willis News

Both Willis and Woodside are competing to be the No. 2 QB behind Ryan Tannehill. The 27-year-old veteran likely has the edge after spending the previous three seasons with the Titans, but it's important to remember that Willis was projected to be a first-round pick before falling to Tennessee in Round 3.

The Atlanta, Georgia, native began to realize his potential after transferring from Auburn to Liberty in 2019. He went on to play 23 games for the Flames, completing 377 passes for 5,107 passing yards and 47 touchdowns to 18 interceptions while also rushing the ball 338 times for another 1,822 yards and 27 TDs.

Even if Willis has a strong preseason and secures the backup QB role, it'll likely be another year before he plays a regular season game. In June, Titans insider Turron Davenport reported that there's a 75% chance the rookie will ride the bench in 2022.

Unless Tannehill gets hurt, the Titans will likely spend the season developing Willis on the sidelines. He was always seen as somewhat of a project despite his massive potential. If the team develop him correctly, it'll be a smooth transition once Tannehill moves on in the next few years.

Titans vs. Ravens Preseason Odds

The Titans need a big effort from Willis (and Woodside) if they hope to upset the Ravens on Thursday. For now, FanDuel Sportsbook lists Baltimore as the 3.5-point home favorite with -110 odds to cover the spread.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.