The Tennessee Titans cannot afford another season spent searching for answers.
Back-to-back 3-14 finishes have turned what was once a rebuilding process into something far more urgent. There are new voices on the sideline, new pieces surrounding the offense and plenty of reasons to believe things could finally look different in Tennessee.
But almost everything still hinges on one player: Cam Ward.
The 24-year-old enters his second NFL season carrying expectations that have only grown since the Titans selected him No. 1 overall.
His rookie year offered flashes of why Tennessee invested so heavily in him, but it also showed how much work remains before the franchise can confidently say its quarterback problem has been solved.
The preseason hasn’t provided a definitive answer either. Ward has experienced uneven stretches while adjusting to another offensive system.
Titans head coach Robert Saleh just made it clear exactly how much he is willing to stake on Ward becoming the quarterback Tennessee believes he can be.
“This kid’s not going to fail,” Saleh said. “Obviously, I put my job on that one, but he’s not going to fail. He’s special.”
Titans Are Giving Ward a Completely Different Setup
Ward’s rookie season was difficult to evaluate strictly through his passing numbers. According to Essentially Sports, he completed 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions, but he was also sacked 55 times for 410 lost yards.
Ball security became another issue. Ward was credited with 11 fumbles and lost seven of them during the season. Tennessee’s problems ultimately extended well beyond its rookie quarterback, however, and the organization fired former head coach Brian Callahan after a 1-5 start.
Ward’s December production was particularly noteworthy. Across four games that month, Ward threw for 766 yards with eight touchdowns against only one interception, producing a 95.0 passer rating. That stretch offered a glimpse of why Tennessee remains convinced there is considerably more to unlock in Year 2.
Saleh has entrusted much of that job to offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Daboll arrives with an extensive quarterback-development resume, most notably from his time as the Buffalo Bills‘ offensive coordinator during Josh Allen’s emergence.
“With Cam, his job is to lead the offense and make good decisions with the football,” Daboll said. “To get us out of bad plays if we don’t have the right look, to make the right decisions on a play-by-play basis.”
His challenge in Tennessee is not necessarily to remake Ward. It is to help the young quarterback become more consistent with the parts of the position that can determine whether an offense stays on schedule.
“I have a lot of confidence in this young man,” Daboll said. “I have confidence in how he played [in college] at Miami and Washington State, and he had a whole year under his belt in the National Football League and getting accustomed to the speed of the game and the timing. That’s not an easy thing for quarterbacks.”
Tennessee Has Already Made It Clear Whose Team This Is
Tennessee waived former second-round quarterback Will Levis before the start of the regular season, ending his three-year run with the organization. Veteran Mitchell Trubisky made the initial roster as Ward’s backup, removing whatever lingering question remained about the franchise’s long-term direction at quarterback.
The organization has also continued putting young pieces around him. Tennessee selected wide receiver Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick, giving Ward another potential long-term weapon. Tate did not record a reception during his preseason action, but the connection looked considerably more promising away from the exhibition games.
“When it’s time to scheme, we’ll get guys the rock,” Saleh said.
During an Aug. 15 training camp practice, Ward completed 21 of 25 passes and threw five touchdowns. Two of those scores went to Tate, while Ward also connected with Elic Ayomanor on a deep touchdown and found Wan’Dale Robinson for another score.
According to Essentially Sports, Ward completed 13 of 24 passes for 126 yards across his first two preseason appearances, numbers that understandably generated questions.
But the Titans have repeatedly emphasized practice situations, joint sessions and the installation of Daboll’s system rather than treating a small preseason sample as a referendum on their quarterback.
“It comes back to time on task,” Saleh said. “Trusting yourself, trusting your teammates, play within the rhythm, rhythm of the play and get your feet in the ground and throw an accurate football.
“It sounds simple, but at the same time, we’ve got to be able to go do it and take it from practice to the game.”
Saleh Downplays Revenge Ahead of Jets Reunion
Before Saleh can see whether his confidence in Ward pays off, he has another storyline waiting in Week 1.
The Titans open the season against the New York Jets, giving Saleh his first game back as a head coach against the franchise that gave him his first opportunity in the role. Despite the history, Saleh isn’t treating the matchup as personal.
“New York is still a special place, gave me my first opportunity as a head coach,” Saleh said. “Our desire to win in Week 1, [to] beat the Jets, is because it’s Week 1.
“I don’t hold grudges.”
Saleh is also making sure Tennessee doesn’t underestimate his former team, calling the Jets an “under-the-radar team” with a chance to be “pretty good.”
The Titans will have home-field advantage, but New York brings enough offensive talent to test a Tennessee defense that has experienced growing pains this summer.
Geno Smith now leads an offense featuring Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, while his turnover problems from last season could give Saleh’s defense opportunities to swing the game.
Titans’ Robert Saleh Makes Eye-Opening Cam Ward Admission Before Facing Jets