Brian Callahan gives Will Levis injury update for Titans vs Lions game in NFL Week 8

Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan hasn’t yet ruled quarterback Will Levis out for the Titans’ game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Speaking to media on Friday after the Titans’ final practice of the week, Callahan didn’t announce whether the team will start Levis or backup Mason Rudolph when the Titans (1-5) face the Lions (5-1) at Ford Field on Sunday (noon, FOX). Callahan said the decision will be made this weekend, but there isn’t much more the team will have to see before making the determination.

“We kind of have a pretty good idea of where we’re headed,” Callahan said. “We’ll be ready to play on Sunday with them. It’s either (Levis) is starting or he’s not. He’ll be inactive if he’s not starting.”

ESTES | Amy Adams Strunk needs a plan to fix these woeful Titans

Levis told media Thursday that he’s been limiting how much he throws as he’s trying to manage his rehab. Callahan told reporters Monday that it was “likely” that Levis will sit out this game to continue resting his injured shoulder, just as he did in Week 7 against Buffalo.

Rudolph was 25-for-40 with 212 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a fumble lost against Buffalo.

Titans injury updates: L’Jarius Sneed, Calvin Ridley, T’Vondre Sweat

The Titans will be without cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, the star cornerback who hasn’t practiced this week as he continues to deal with a quad injury. This is the second consecutive game Sneed is missing after taking a helmet to his upper thigh in the Titans’ Week 6 loss against the Indianapolis Colts. Without Sneed, the Titans are likely to start Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Darrell Baker Jr. at outside cornerback as they did versus Buffalo.

Defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat has missed practice two days running with a hip injury. Callahan said Sweat has reached the point in the season that certain players do where he just needs extra time to recuperate. Callahan did not indicate whether Sweat will have an injury designation.

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley returned to practice Friday after missing Wednesday’s and Thursday’s sessions with a foot injury. Callahan said Ridley should be able to play.

Brian Callahan reflects on DeAndre Hopkins trade

Callahan has three notebooks that he’s used as running diaries to reflect on his decisions and lessons learned since being hired as Titans coach. Those notebooks got a little extra workout this week after the team decided to trade receiver DeAndre Hopkins and linebacker Ernest Jones IV to contenders.

“There’s a time and a place for different leadership. For me, you have to find a way to get guys going again and get guys ready to play,” Callahan said. “There’s a human element and there’s some disappointment. Those are guys’ teammates and friends. There are guys have been good players over their time in the league. My job is to try to get our guys ready to play. You learn a lot about how you approach people and how you approach those situation.”

On Wednesday, before the trades were made final, Callahan alluded to the fact that the trade decisions were out of his control. Titans GM Ran Carthon has not spoken to media since the trades, but Callahan commented on the process that led to Hopkins and Jones being shipped off, and the thought process from the coaching staff as the trades were being discussed and finalized.

“You know those things, when conversations start I’m aware of when they start and what happens,” Callahan said. “They’re trying to do the best thing. Like I said the other day, there’s two parts to the business. One is now and the other is future. There’s people working on both of those things. When they come up, you think about what is best for the future. Collecting some draft capital is good for us right now to get more picks and more people. Young players in our building. I totally understand how it works and why it happens. I’m on board with those decisions when they get made. Whenever we make them, we go forward and we roll.”

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.