Cam Ward’s preseason has already changed the conversation around the Tennessee Titans, and not in a good way.
ESPN’s Ben Solak slotted Tennessee near the bottom of his watchability rankings for the season, placing the Titans ahead of only the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns. The reason, at least in his view, is simple: Ward hasn’t looked ready in exhibition play, and that has taken a lot of the shine off a team that was supposed to be interesting to follow.
Solak said:
“No team has lost more watchability stock over the preseason than the Titans. I was excited to see sophomore Cam Ward play his first season under former Giants coach and new Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, but Ward has looked overwhelmed in the new offense through two games of exhibition ball.
Of course, the full offense is never really on display in the preseason, so I still harbor plenty of hope. But the bloom is off the rose, at least temporarily.
Robert Saleh's defenses will always be engaging (I'm a big believer in Jeffery Simmons ' sleeper candidacy for Defensive Player of the Year) in that they are fast and physical. With a slew of offseason additions, it might be a better group than folks anticipate. I watched Saleh's first head coach tenure with the Jets -- a great defense failed by a struggling offense -- and have no interest in watching the poor man suffer the same fate a second time, if that's how the cards fall in Tennessee.”
That’s the heart of the issue for Tennessee. A defense can keep games interesting, and Solak clearly expects Robert Saleh’s unit to be fast, physical and worth watching. He also pointed to Jeffery Simmons as a sleeper candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
But the Titans’ watchability will rise or fall with Ward. If the offense sputters, even a solid defense won’t be enough to carry the show.
Tennessee does have pieces for Ward to work with, including Calvin Ridley, Wan’Dale Robinson and rookie Carnell Tate out of Ohio State. Still, none of that matters much if the quarterback can’t consistently get them the ball.
Right now, the preseason has given Tennessee little reason for optimism on that front.
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The Titans have found themselves in the middle of an unnecessary side story around Cam Ward, and it has quickly become bigger than one preseason comment. Jared Stillman, who publicly said Ward's exhibition performance was "not well" during a press conference exchange, had his media credentials revoked by the team, creating an immediate buzz around how the organization is handling outside criticism of its rookie quarterback.
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Among the names worth watching are wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, defensive end Jacob Martin, tight end Gunnar Helm and running back Tyjae Spears. Each brings a different kind of upside, and each sits in a spot where a strong start could alter his standing before long, especially on a roster still sorting out how much production it can squeeze from its younger talent. [Read more 🡒]