Cam Ward looks rusty in preseason debut

“The Titans have added a lot of really good pieces who fit what they do,” the executive told Lombardo. “I think Robert Saleh has hired an excellent staff, and I believe in the quarterback. Cam Ward is going to take a jump, and I expect them to be solid enough on defense to win some games.” One of the most erratic, inaccurate quarterbacks in the league in 2025, Ward has worked this offseason with new OC Brian Daboll to improve his lower body mechanics and has reportedly learned how to make more cautious throws when downfield shots are not open. Saleh, for one, has said he’s not concerned with Ward’s 2025 accuracy issues. With the additions of Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson, Ward will have a vastly improved wideout group with which to work in 2026.

Titans beat writers last week sounded the alarm on Ward’s inaccuracy during OTA sessions. It’s an extension of major accuracy issues Ward had during his rookie year with the Titans. Ward in 2025 ranked 32nd out of 35 qualifying QBs in completion rate over expected, frequently sailing intermediate and short-area passes over the heads of his pass catchers in a dysfunctional Titans offense. Saleh said as a member of the 49ers coaching staff he saw Brock Purdy miss some passes in offseason practices so he is not worried about Ward’s issues. Purdy in 2025 was the NFL’s second most accurate passer behind Drake Maye.

Gall really dug into Ward’s play and coach Robert Saleh’s qualified responses on the matter. We’ll spare you the details on the latter subject, but it is safe to say that Gall is displeased with both parties. Per Gall, Ward “frequently” overthrew receivers downfield and found it hard to complete passes in the flats, especially checkdowns to the right side of the field. Keep in mind that the Titans are installing a new offense, and Saleh did say that Ward fared well on the unscripted plays, so there is at least something positive here. The Titans retake the field next week for mandatory minicamp. Hopefully, Ward delivers a bounce-back performance then.

Last week, Ward told reporters that he lost 10 pounds this offseason because he wants to play “faster.” The comment rightly caught one astute Rotoworld analyst’s attention. New Titans OC Brian Daboll has incorporated quarterback rushing into his prior offensive schemes, and it sounds like Daboll and Tierney want Ward to run a bit more than he did last year. Tierney has coached under Daboll at every stop since 2017. The key is drawing a line “between being aggressive and being reckless.” Tierney does not want Ward to run as often as his former quarterback, Jaxson Dart, did last year. Dart averaged 6.1 attempts per game. Instead, Tierney hopes Ward might try “to gain that last necessary yard on a third-and-6 scramble,” yet refrain from trying to bowl through a defender, seeking 10 more yards. We should not expect Ward to suddenly become a true dual-threat quarterback, but he should average more than the 9.4 rushing yards per game that he produced as a rookie.

Ward said he hopes the weight loss will improve his durability and allow him to play with a bit more speed in 2026. The 2025 No. 1 overall pick will play next season in an offense led by offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who has taken advantage of his quarterback’s athleticism in the past by incorporating it into the running game. Whether or not Ward, who rushed for just 159 yards in 17 games last season, will see more work as a runner next season is to be determined, but it’s worth noting that Ward did total 1,061 rushing yards in 38 FBS games, per PFF, which factors out yards lost on sacks. Of the 287 rush attempts he saw over that span, 180 of those runs (4.7/gm) came on designed plays. Ward turning into more of a dual-threat quarterback would provide a more solid floor for his fantasy outlook next season after he finished as the QB34 in fantasy points per game as a rookie.

This is good to hear. Switching offensive systems in one’s second professional season is no easy feat. Daboll has helped develop young quarterbacks in the past. His experience in this regard is undoubtedly good for all involved. Ward is currently in the low-end QB2 tier for fantasy. Daboll also said it has been “helpful” to have QB Mitchell Trubisky in the mix, and noted that QB Will Levis “has picked up the system well.” His comments on QB Hendon Hooker were limited to Hooker having put on a “good workout.” We suspect he has an uphill battle to make the roster.

Ward continues to rehab an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, suffered in the 2025 season finale. He spent the early portion of the 2026 offseason improving his “base and consistency in footwork” and was cleared to resume throwing in mid-March. The Titans will host a voluntary minicamp from April 21-23. Organized team activity workouts dot the calendar through May and early June. The mandatory minicamp that Ward has a chance to participate in is scheduled for June 16-17. Stay tuned.

The Titans scheduled their first voluntary session on April 7, which will allow Saleh and new OC Brian Daboll to officially begin working with Ward, who is “on track,” though Saleh said he is “not going to put a timetable” on Ward’s participation levels, as he works through his rehab program. Ward spent the earlier portion of the offseason working on his base and footwork continues to be an area of emphasis. He was cleared to resume throwing in mid March and a recent report indicates that the team is unconcerned by Ward’s “different” throwing motion.

“This echos what [offensive coordinator] Brian Daboll said about Ward,” ESPN’s Turon Davenport said. “Daboll acknowledged different QBs have different throwing motions and didn’t want to fool around with it.” It appears the Titans are fine with Ward’s unusual delivery and want to clean up the messy lower body work that led to errant throws in 2025. Ward last season ranked 33rd out of 37 qualifying quarterbacks in completion rate over expected, around Caleb Williams and Joe Flacco.

Ward was diagnosed with an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder on January 5th. On February 20th, Wolfe reported that Ward was focused on building up his lower body and was expected to resume throwing in March. Sounds like he is on track, which is great to hear. He is expected to be ready for offseason team workouts this spring. The Titans’ front office signed WR Wan’Dale Robinson and TE Daniel Bellinger in free agency this week, providing Ward with more receiving weapons in his second NFL season. Ward is reportedly staying in Nashville this offseason to work with new coaches and players ahead of the 2026 season.