FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Cam Ward didn’t hesitate to give his assessment of the Titans’ offense after back-to-back joint practices this week with the Falcons.
The No. 1 overall pick in the draft “honestly” believes that Tennessee — which averaged just 18.3 points per game last season, 27th in the league — could produce a top-10 offense this year.
What’s his reasoning, you ask?
“Just the playmakers that I have in the backfield with me, the running back core,” Ward said Wednesday. “And I think I honestly have a top-five receiving core in the NFL, including the young guys, who are able to make plays.
“Then the O-line, I don’t have to worry about them,” he continued. “Those guys, they bring the energy every day. … I’m excited to be behind those guys. Those guys pass-protect, they keep me clean.”
Cam Ward believes that the Titans can become a top-10 offense in his rookie year. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
This is a prime example of Ward’s supreme confidence — in both himself and in his new teammates.
The casual league observer has no reason to think highly of these Titans. Coming off a league-worst 3-14 season, Tennessee still has one of the NFL’s worst rosters. But Ward believes in it. He sees what it can be. And as far as he’s concerned, that’s all that matters.
While Ward talks up the team, Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker and general manager Mike Borgonzi have made a concerted effort to temper on-field expectations. Building for the long haul and daily improvement, not winning now, have been the stated objectives.
When the Titans reported for training camp, Brinker acknowledged that “there isn’t a lot of star power on this roster right now.” In the same press conference, Brinker and Borgonzi were asked if the 2025 Titans can win the Super Bowl. Borgonzi replied that while “that’s always the goal every year,” there’s still “a lot of work to do” on the roster. Brinker chuckled at the question.
The way team brass is viewing this season is not only understandable, but it’s also justified. It’s an acknowledgment of the reality of the situation, a result of years of bad drafting and poor roster management.
Ward, though, has never been constrained by “reality” in football. His confidence has had to border on delusion since high school. His improbable rise, from zero-star recruit to No. 1 overall pick, has come in large part from generating belief in circumstances where it’s most difficult to manifest.
That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised by how he talks about Brian Callahan, who, as a reminder, won just three games in his first season as Titans coach.
“He’s one of the best coaches out there,” Ward explained. “I want to be the reason why, at the end of the year, he can be one of the top five head coaches in the NFL.”
Ward also spoke glowingly of rookie Elic Ayomanor, saying that Tennessee “stole him” in the fourth round of the draft. The Titans are hopeful he can be one of their answers at wide receiver outside of Calvin Ridley.
“I love speaking it out into existence. I tell those guys that they’re the best,” Ward said of his receivers. “I just think that the biggest thing about myself and the receiving core is that we have to always have confidence with each other. I know they’re going to get hemmed up on a route. They know I’m going to throw an interception. But at the end of the day, no matter what bad play goes on, we always have to have that confidence in each other that we’re going to make the next play.”
Ward has already shown that bounce-back ability in a small sample size.
After a rough showing for the offense on the first day of joint practices with the Falcons, Ward helped guide an improved effort on Wednesday. And in the first preseason game against the Buccaneers, he orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive after a three-and-out on his opening possession.
With the O-line keeping him clean, Ward went 5-for-8 for 67 yards in his preseason debut, highlighted by a TD drive on Tennessee’s second possession. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Throughout training camp, Ward has rebounded from miscues with big throws.
“I’ve seen a lot of resilience and that’s really what matters, as a rookie at any position, but especially quarterback,” Titans left guard Peter Skoronski told me after Wednesday’s joint practice. “There have definitely been ups and downs. I think he comes back as the same guy every day. And that, to me, is really the key to success for him.
“He has a real confident nature about him. He’s not over the top. He’s not too excited, but kind of has that calm, quarterback nature about him and also that competitor’s side to him. He’s going to talk s— after the play.”
While Callahan said the team still has a ways to go to be ready for Week 1 at Denver, Ward feels he’s already prepared for the regular season physically and mentally.
“The biggest thing I need to work on going into the game is just more reps at certain plays,” he said. “I got a lot of reps at the base install that Coach Callahan has put in, but just all the new little installs that he’s added, whether we’re adding a play here or there. Just getting more reps with those so I can see different coverages.
“But if we had to go play a game, I’d be fully prepared.”
And if he has to, Ward will do all the believing for the Titans.
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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