Ryan Clark Sends Clear Message on Titans QB Cam Ward

The Tennessee Titans and their fan base had to endure several brutal seasons in a row, but the tide might finally be turning for the franchise. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft netted them quarterback highly touted Miami quarterback Cam Ward.

He will certainly be the team's starter under center in Week 1 against the Broncos and has all the makings of a franchise player. Ward also has a chance to cement himself as a legendary figure in the organization like Warren Moon and Steve McNair.

While he may face an uphill battle as the team grows up and improves around him, Ward should be able to help the team out immediately.

On Wednesday, Ward finally signed his rookie contract, which was a four-year deal worth $48.8 million. Legendary former player and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark responded to this news with a clear message about Ward.

"What a journey for Cam Ward," Clark wrote. "I hope this young man has a great career. His path to number 1 is nothing short of inspirational."

Clark was an incredible player in his own right, so these words should mean a lot to the young signal-caller. Clark won Super Bowl XLIII and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2011. Both of these honors are surely on the short list of things that Ward would like to accomplish in his NFL career.

It may be tough sledding in the early going for Ward, but this franchise invested heavily in him for a reason. He should be able to get the job done for the Titans and finally turn this organization back around.

Titans receive an offseason title that shows Cam Ward is set up for success

The Tennessee Titans were strategic in the 2025 offseason so that rookie quarterback Cam Ward would be supported properly.

The worst thing a struggling franchise could do is throw a talented rookie quarterback on the field without an adequate supporting cast. The Tennessee Titans, who drafted Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick, will try to avoid doing that. Fortunately, the moves Tennessee made this offseason should prevent that from happening.

In a recent ESPN piece, NFL analyst Bill Barnwell gave every AFC team a superlative based on how their offseason went. For the Titans, the superlative was “Most likely to keep their quarterback upright more often.” Every team would love to have this superlative, but it's especially important for a franchise that’s expected to have a rookie QB as the Week 1 starter.

ESPN says Titans are most likely to keep their quarterback upright more often

To arrive at this superlative, Barnwell highlighted how most of Tennessee’s protection issues were a result of Will Levis inviting sacks. Considering that Ward is believed to be better at avoiding sacks, and the Titans also built the line some more, adding Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler, Barnwell is confident Ward won’t be sacked a lot.

"Will Levis had a habit of taking sacks. His 12% sack rate was the worst in the league for a quarterback who started at least 10 games... Considering that Mason Rudolph had a 4.6% sack rate behind the same offensive line, the majority of the pressure issues have to be pinned on Levis. Enter No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, who was much better at avoiding takedowns at Miami. Last season, he had an above-average 4.3% sack rate. His sack rate when pressured was 14.5%, also better than the national average."

Bill Barnwell (ESPN)

If that’s the case, that will be half the battle for the rookie quarterback; avoiding pressure is always one of the biggest challenges for rookie QBs. If the Titans can keep Ward in clean pockets often, his transition to the NFL should be smooth. The other part of the equation will be reading defenses, making the right throws, and connecting with pass catchers.

Of course, that’s not an easy task, but it’s easier to figure out when defenders aren’t in your face. Additionally, the Titans may not have the most elite group of weapons, but they have several veteran options who should be able to help Ward out in year one.