“Cam Ward wants to be great.” So says pretty much every Tennessee Titans coach who has guided him and every front office person who has had a hand in drafting or developing him.
While Ward is still learning the rigors of being an NFL quarterback and has been plagued by inconsistent performances, the narrative of Ward wanting to be great persists. And he puts in the time both in season and out of season to try and perfect his craft.
But as Ward strives for excellence and searches for answers, the answer might be found in his mechanics and his footwork.
In the Titans preseason opener at San Francisco, Ward again was bothered by inconsistency in his delivery. There were throws that were too hard, too high and off platform when having a solid base under him as he delivered the football would have been a better approach.
That led to inaccuracies, some of which seem unnecessary. Ward has been told by offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney that he needs to “hit his layups.”
That means taking the checkdowns or the routine throws if they are available rather than hunting the big play unnecessarily. Ward often abides by that, but he often seemed rushed against the 49ers in ways that were not necessary to make the play. The need to set his feet and deliver a throw that is accurate and on time is a big part of him taking the next step as an NFL quarterback.
Completing five of 12 for 57 yards against the 49ers backups was not the awe-inspiring debut Titans fans hoped for from Ward. He will have a chance to redeem himself this week in a joint practice and preseason game with the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and then again next week in the same setup against the Chicago Bears.
Same song, second season
Yes, it was only a preseason game and no one should be panicking over two bad series in a game that could be long forgotten in a few weeks.
But the issues Ward had in the game were some of the same that plagued him during his rookie year – inaccuracy on what should be easy completions and the intentional grounding play in which Ward was trying to make something happen when he should have known the play was over.
Ward flung the ball out of bounds and was flagged. He was lucky that was all it was. If he needs a reminder of what that can cause, he needs only to look across the quarterback room and see his predecessor Will Levis still trying to live down such a play in the 2024 season opener.
The previous staff of Brian Callahan, Nick Holz, Bo Hardegree and Mike McCoy harped greatly on Ward’s base and footwork, saying it needed to be more stable and consistent and often referred to it as a work in progress. That didn’t always seem to hit home with Ward during his rookie year. Daboll and Tierney are mostly leaving that topic alone thus far, but if it continues to be an issue it won’t be ignored.
A change would do him good
No one is questioning whether Ward wants to be a great NFL quarterback and a franchise player for the Tennessee Titans. But the part I am beginning to question is how open Ward is to making the necessary changes it might take to get there.
Sure, the sidearm throws around a defender are nice, but that’s not something on which an NFL quarterback can bank his game. It takes hours of practice and a willingness to adapt to avoid throwing balls that sail out of the receiver’s range or delivering a 100-mph fastball on a four-yard throw.
Preseason games are largely throwaways, especially for starters. Ward is firmly entrenched as the Titans starting quarterback for 2026. And his play often points toward success in the NFL.
But the Sept. 13 season opener against the Jets is quickly approaching, and Ward has little time to correct the footwork and technique flaws he exhibited against the 49ers. He’ll have to find the answers if he is to achieve his goal of becoming great.