Ran Carthon gives update on Malik Willis, confirms suspicion surrounding Titans backup QB job

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tennessee Titans General Manager confirmed suspicions about Malik Willis and the Titans' backup quarterback job from the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this week.

While speaking with Titans media on Tuesday, Carthon confirmed that the team would be looking to add a quarterback to the roster in either free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft to compete for the backup QB job.

Obviously Tennessee was not going to go into training camp with just two quarterbacks. But the team's serious pursuit of a quarterback to compete, not just a body, shows me that Willis' place with the team is not safe.

"We're going to continue to look. We have Malik (Willis) in house and we're not going to go into training camp with just two quarterbacks," said Carthon on Tuesday. "We're going to bring another quarterback in at some point whether that's through the draft, whether that's through free agency to compete, and we expect all three of those guys to compete and elevate the room. We're going to mix and match and see what's the best fit."

When asked if the Titans were going to be looking at veteran quarterbacks to compliment the younger guys currently in the room, Carthon said that the team was "still in the evaluation process" of figuring out what they needed in free agency.  

But from what head coach Brian Callahan said about the position, I think it's something the Titans will value highly and invest in. 

"You want a guy first and foremost that can play the position," said Callahan when asked what he's looking for in a backup quarterback. "There's another element of backup quarterbacks that's really important is how they are in the room with the starter. That matters. That relationship can be very fruitful. It can also be very damaging if it's not on the same page. Having a starter with a backup quarterback that's there to help, that assists, that sees things through the quarterbacks set of eyes can be very helpful on game days with the starting quarterback. It's a role that I think is probably undervalued publicly."