The Tennessee Titans got a glimpse of their next franchise player on Saturday.
Cam Ward wasn't out there for long, but he showed flashes of strong play and solid chemistry with Calvin Ridley. Even so, head coach Brian Callahan didn't get too carried away. If anything, he thinks the former Miami star still needs to put in a lot of work on his game before Week 1.
"Cam certainly hasn't arrived yet," Callahan told the team's website. "We have a lot of things we're still working on. I thought it was a good start for him, encouraging. It was productive, but there's a couple of things we're going to keep grinding on. Still working on getting the ball out fast, still working on the timing of it. There's plenty of things we're still working on with Cam."
Ward failed to complete his first two passes, leading to a three-and-out debut drive.
In the next series, he found Ridley three times to march down the field and set up a one-yard touchdown by Tony Pollard. Ward orchestrated an 11-play, 75-yard drive and looked poised and in control.
He finished the game 5-of-8 for 67 yards and a 89.1 passer rating. More importantly, he showed a little bit of everything, making plays at all levels of the field and looking in control after a rather shaky start.
His footwork continues to be a reason for concern, but that's all a part of the process. There will be growing pains and a learning curve, but it seems like the Titans have found their guy.
When Will Titans Be Good Again?
The Tennessee Titans are trying to build their team from the ground up after landing the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
With Cam Ward now under center, the Titans have some direction but it remains to be seen how far they will go. ESPN thinks Ward will achieve some success with the Titans.
"The Titans will win a playoff game. With Ward panning out and in the third year of his deal, they will have invested heavily in 2026 and 2027 to build up the roster. Once we get to 2027, Tennessee will be the best team in its division and be a fringe Super Bowl contender," ESPN contributor Seth Walder wrote.
While Ward is viewed as the future of the franchise, the same can't quite be said yet when it comes to head coach Brian Callahan.
Callahan struggled in his first year with the team, compiling a 3-14 record. If he continues to do the same in his second season, he might not be around to see the Titans' next playoff game.
"Last year, I wondered how the relationship between coach Brian Callahan and quarterback Will Levis would evolve. It didn't, and now Levis' time in Tennessee is coming to an end," ESPN's Louis Riddick wrote.
"Can Callahan avoid a repeat with Ward? That's the biggest question hanging over Tennessee. If he can, the Titans have an upgraded receiver room and offensive line that could help them be one of the most improved offenses in the league after finishing last season ranked 26th in scoring (18.1 ppg)."
However, the talent emerging on the field is what will ultimately drive the Titans back to the playoffs. ESPN analyst Ben Solak is also a fan of the team's young cornerbacks.
"When a team has a No. 1 pick at quarterback in the building, all of its reasons for optimism are that guy right there. Of course, a young and excelling offensive line also helps -- and how about the young talent in the secondary? Cornerbacks Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Roger McCreary both look like high-impact players for the next three seasons," Solak wrote.
On paper, there's a lot to like about the Titans, but the same was said a year ago and they finished at the bottom of the league.
Now, it's up to Tennessee to figure out which pieces work, which pieces don't and whether or not the coaching staff can lead this crew to victory.
