Cam Ward flashed everything that made him an exciting prospect coming out of the University of Miami during his rookie season in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans quarterback also showed he has a lot to learn to become a franchise quarterback at the next level.
In an up-and-down season, Titans fans got to see the arm talent and the improvisational playmaking that made Ward the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Through his early season struggles, he did show an ability to identify blitzes prior to the snap as well as a play-action ability that helped him reduce his off-target throws.
Still, Ward had to fight through a high sack rate and turnovers. Along with 11 fumbles, Ward threw 7 interceptions during his rookie season. Those numbers weren’t as bad as the 55 sacks taken which was more on the team built around him.
The NFL learned Cam Ward is a work in progress
As with any rookie quarterback or young quarterback in the league, if Ward is sped up, he is not successful. When he has the time to throw and can manipulate the pocket, he is a dangerous passer which showed at times during a season in which he threw for 3,169 yards and 15 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 59.8%.
In a season in which the Titans went 3-14 and saw a change in head coach in the middle of the season, Ward had a lot to overcome in Year 1 in the NFL, much like recent high round draft picks like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Like those players, Ward knows his primary focus in the offseason is adjusting to the speed of the NFL.
Appearing on an episode of Rich Kleiman’s Boardroom Talks, Ward talked about the challenge ahead.
“It was really hard to adjust to something like that and training camp, cause you’re not live,” Ward told Kleiman. “And I’d say the biggest thing that I felt just playing different teams on different defensive fronts and structures is that the pocket changes every game or depending on the pass structure that the guys have on the other side of the ball and you just got to be able to watch film and think how the pocket’s going to end up, but you also got to be able to react to how it’s going to end up.”
With a new head coach in Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll, there will be a new team attitude and offensively philosophy built around Ward. There will be an emphasis on building on defense, but primarily the Titans need to build offensively around Ward’s strength, which is his creativity in the pocket and his arm talent. Can they strengthen the line and add playmakers offensively to take pressure both figuratively and literally off the talented quarterback?
With the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they will have a major opportunity to add another cornerstone piece. Could that be a top receiver like a Carnell Tate or Jordyn Tyson or the nation’s top running back in Jeremiyah Love?
Whatever the path in the draft, it will be all about developing Cam Ward. The NFL saw a glimpse of what he could do in 2025. Perhaps in 2026, the league will see him shine.