TitansNASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Welcome to the mailbag. It's been a while. Nice to be here.

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Because Will Levis played against the Colts and was a full participant in Thursday's padded practice, Brian Callahan wasn't asked about his status on Friday. Then the QB popped up on the injury report as questionable after what turned out to be a limited practice. So there is a chance Mason Rudolph could get the call. 

The next move could be a Saturday call-up of Trevor Siemian from the practice squad as insurance in case the Titans have to consider the move on Sunday. But it may be a case where they'd feel OK with Levis as the backup if he can't start.

Onto your questions, where members have priority...

Alex Law Has there ever been a team to finish with a top-5 defense and a bottom-5 record?

Yes, the Panthers last year. They were fourth in total yardage defense and finished 2-15. Pretty much the same profile as the Titans now. Didn't look deeper than that, but I suspect with one so easily found there are more.

Also, the Titans are on pace to give up 3,981 yards. Only nine teams in history have given up that few yards, most recently the 2008 Steelers. 

Each of those teams played 16-game seasons and won at least 10 games. The defense is likely to wind up giving up more yards than that. We will monitor if it stays such an aberration.

Audrey Kate Collins Would there be any benefit to starting Rudolph for a few weeks and letting Levis watch and learn or do we have to just let him crash and burn?

I really don’t think there is a whole lot to this idea, and more importantly, it’s clear the Titans don’t so long as he is healthy. He’s got 11 games left in a season Brian Callahan said the Titans intend to learn all they can about him and to do everything they can to develop him. 

People love this sit-and-learn idea and it’s fine in some perfect circumstances when you have a clearly better option and a lot of time. But the Titans don’t have either. 

I’m all about trying to win all the time and not worrying about the draft and even I see the sense in this plan. Try to get Levis over the hump. The learning if faster playing than not playing. If they continue to lose with him they reap some draft rewards, not by intent but by side-effect.

Player improvement and Brian Callahan establishing something.

I know it’s hard for that to be something when they seem likely to do a lot of losing. But if you’re really into this team, I think you can watch with an eye on three guys in particular – JC Latham, T’Vondre Sweat and Jarvis Brownlee – and be excited about progress from rookies and have some excitement about their futures and what it suggests the Titans may be able to do in upcoming drafts. 

Look for continued growth from Peter Skoronski and for Roger McCreary to keep getting better. Hope Jha’Quan Jackson gets some touches and can do some things in space. Maybe Josh Whyle emerges? 

See what Ernest Jones continues to do and root that he gets himself a new contract out of it. 

Also, Will Levis can get better. That's also possible.

That’s not a lot when you put it all together. It’s bleak right now. But in a bad season, you have to find stuff.

Not that concerned. I mean the Saahdiq Charles development sucked and left them in a hole. Dillon Radunz is improving but the depth is poor.

I don’t get why people are taking the Jamal Adams’ thing hard. He wasn’t playing. And when they signed him it was a flier. If it panned out it was a bonus and if it didn’t it was no big investment. There is no spot not being filled because of his absence, they were going to create a niche position for him if he was healthy and good and he wasn’t.

A lot of guys quit during Mike Vrabel’s tenure: Ty Sambrailo, Kevin Johnson, Vic Beasley, effectively Jadeveon Clowney to name some.

Sure, but… The Titans just spent big in free agency. It’s going to be hard for Chad Brinker and Ran Carthon to go to Amy Adams Strunk and say, we can get a third-rounder for this guy we recently signed for too much money, if we take on more of what we signed him for.

Still, that’s life in the big city when you need to unload players for picks and they have contracts trade partners are unwilling to take on.

Some, though, are not an issue: Harold Landry (pretty much $1 million a week), Jeffery Simmons (a little less this year with $6 million guaranteed for next year) and DeAndre Hopkins (nearly $500k a week) are all affordable acquisitions.