Titans won rookie QB’s second preseason start, but his numbers weren’t pretty.
Ward completed just two passes Friday but didn’t get much help from teammates.
ATLANTA – Cam Ward’s best throw during his abbreviated preseason shift on Friday night came at the right time with the perfect aim. The Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback scanned the defense, set his feet and lofted a second-and-long spiral with precise arc. It hit the intended target in his hands. Textbook.
One problem: Van Jefferson dropped it.
But man, was that a beautiful throw.
“Really, next play, that’s all you can do,” Ward reflected. “I’ve got to throw the ball better.”
When the rookie went on to explain that he might have put the football a tad out of reach, it sounded more like a team leader serving up some cover for his veteran receiver.
In any event, it was another lesson for Ward, 23, to absorb from a second preseason lab test that was filled with adversity. Ward only played 11 snaps over three series, leading his unit to just one first down. Inside a ho-hum stat line – he completed 2-of-7 passes for 42 yards, with a scant passer rating of 52.1 – there were misfires on back-to-back third downs that would’ve made for difficult catches. Even more glaring were the two penalties by offensive lineman that stunted drives.
“What I learned from this game is to not shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties,” Ward said. “I think we had a chance to score the three times I was out there, but we always had to overcome something.”
Brian Callahan knows. The Titans’ second-year coach is “very encouraged” by the progress he’s seen with Ward as they head into the final week of the preseason. He gave his rookie high marks for the operational elements of playing quarterback, which says something about absorbing X’s and O’s, calling plays in the huddle and making certain that the unit is lined up properly. And there’s no question about the zip in Ward’s arm.
Yet Callahan also knows that it is much bigger than the progress of one man – even one as dynamic as Ward, whose college resume includes a record 158 touchdown passes.
Callahan couldn’t fully assess Ward’s night without bemoaning the early penalties.
“That’s not really on him,” Callahan said. “That’s one of those things where we need to do better around him.”
That speaks to a big takeaway as the development of Ward commands attention. It is going to take a village. As much as Ward may make strides during his NFL transition, there’s a possibility that it could be dwarfed by the growing pains of the whole unit.
Of course, the snapshot from Friday night needs proper context. It was only an exhibition, with vanilla schemes and game plans. And Ward’s top two receivers, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett, sat out as proven veterans tend to do this time of year.
Still, Ward’s confident words after two days of joint practices with the Falcons – he was noticeably sharper on Wednesday after sputtering on Tuesday – bear repeating.
He proclaimed that the Titans have the makings of a Top 10 NFL offense and that his wide receiver group is among the five best in the league.
You can’t knock a man for talking up his teammates. That’s part of the appeal with Ward, who is full of can-do spirit, supported by his rise from being a zero-star recruit to the top pick in the draft. He believes. He wants to speak it into existence. Yes, it starts with the mind.
Yet there was a reason the Titans had that No. 1 pick. They finished with an NFL-worst 3-14 record in 2024. They ranked 27th in the league in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game. Quarterbacks took 52 sacks last season, fourth-most in the league.
In other words, there’s a lot to fix around Ward. It will take time, along with a significant talent upgrade. If Ward can survive the process, then that Top 10 vision can come to life. Perhaps. Someday.
In the meantime, patience.
“I’m excited for the real football to start,” Ward said.
The Titans open the regular season on Sept. 7 at the Denver Broncos, who have one of the best defenses in the NFL – and the receipts to prove it.
The rookie learning curve for Ward is just beginning, and promises to get even tougher.
Contact Jarrett Bell at jbell@usatoday.com or follow on social media:
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