During Tennessee Titans training camp last week, Cam Ward made some awe-inspiring throws and said he believes his offense is capable of being one of the best in the NFL this season.
This week, the rookie quarterback chose different words to describe his unit.
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“I just think we’re very mid right now,” Ward said Wednesday. “From my position, to up front, to the receiver position, but, at the end of the day, it all starts with me.”
Ward, this year’s No. 1 overall draft pick, added: “I just don’t think we’re where we need to be. But we’ve got a little bit of time. Every day we get better as a whole. We’re a young team. But that’s no excuse.”
The Titans are young, and growing pains are inevitable for an organization that’s rebuilding. Ward isn’t exempt from those, either.
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Ward has thrown four interceptions over the past two practices, the first two padded practices of camp. His lone pick Wednesday stemmed from a quick pass over the middle that linebacker Cody Barton got a piece of, and cornerback Roger McCreary ultimately intercepted, as detailed by multiple media reports. On Tuesday, Ward was picked off three times.
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Timing and rhythm have been problematic for the offense.
“I have to get on the same page with my receivers, watch more film and be more accurate with the football,” Ward said, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport.
Work ethic isn’t a problem for Ward, who arrives at the Titans’ facility everyday at 5:30 a.m. to watch tape. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah reported last week that Ward has already won over the Tennessee locker room.
Nothing has come easy for Ward, anyway. He took the road less traveled to the NFL, making stops at Incarnate World and Washington State before putting up prolific numbers and nearly making the College Football Playoff in his lone season at Miami.
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A crafty playmaker, Ward can throw from a handful of arm slots, but that super power has recently created issues for himself in training camp such as tipped passes and ricochets. He doesn’t see it that way, though.
“I actually think it’s not even a learning point. I’ve been throwing sidearm since I was 6 years old,” Ward said, per The Tennessean. “I had tipped balls when I was in high school. I had tipped balls when I was in college. I have tipped balls here in practice and I’m going to have tipped balls during the season. I’m not really worried about that, it’s about how you bounce back the next play.”
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Bouncing back will be critical for the Titans, not just for Ward or just in training camp but for the entire team the entire season.
Tennessee is coming off a 3-14 season, after which general manager Ran Carthon was fired. The Titans hit the reset button, and Ward has to right — er, save — the sinking ship that was the Tennessee offense, a unit that averaged a meager 18.3 points per game in 2024.
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He’s got the skills to bump that average up significantly, even in Year 1. But he’ll have to weather the storm that is adversity. So will the rest of an offense that’s led by a rookie quarterback.
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