Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon is urging patience with Cam Ward after the quarterback’s Week 8 showing against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Carthon, speaking with Jordan Schultz while also discussing the Titans and Jeffery Simmons, pointed to Ward’s winding path as a big reason not to rush judgment.
“You know, it was Incarnate Word, it was Washington State, it was Miami, and then the Titans for two years there. That’s five different offenses in five years.
And so I think that’s where people need to exercise a little bit of patience.” Carthon said, “Look, everybody was ready to give up on Bryce Young a few years ago, right?
And, oh, he’s not it, he’s too little, he can’t do, he can’t do, he can’t do. But when you look at his play, Bryce Young has gotten better every year.
And again, his stuff started the same way as Cam’s - multiple coordinators, multiple head coaches. These guys need consistency.”
Carthon’s point lands in a football landscape where quarterback development is already messy, and the churn has only gotten worse in the NIL era. Players are moving schools more often, and that kind of instability can make it harder to build the kind of mechanical foundation that carries into the NFL.
Five offenses in five seasons is a lot for any quarterback to absorb. It can pull attention away from the details that matter most, especially mechanics and overall growth. Ward has shown that when those mechanics are clean, he can play at a higher level, but the frustration around his development is part of the reality of where the game is right now.
In Other News...
Titans Trade Buzz Around Jeffery Simmons Just Took A Strange Turn
The Jeffery Simmons trade chatter that has followed the Titans this week picked up an unexpected wrinkle when Ravens coach John Harbaugh confirmed he reached out to Tennessee owner Amy Adams Strunk about the star defensive lineman. Harbaugh said Baltimore is always willing to listen on players who fit its needs and financial profile, and he also addressed the report that his call ran afoul of an NFL personnel agreement, saying he was not aware of any such memo.
For Tennessee, the interest only adds another layer to a situation that already has plenty of eyes on it. Simmons remains one of the most important pieces on the roster, so any outside inquiry naturally draws attention, and the fact that this one surfaced through ownership rather than a standard front-office path makes it even more unusual. The broader backdrop, as Nick Sirianni noted in another context, is how much teams try to control information and timing when they think leverage matters. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face One Trade Deadline Question That Could Split Nashville
With the NFL trade deadline set for Nov. 10, the Titans are again in the middle of the kind of roster conversation that can divide a fan base. The speculation around Tennessee has centered on whether the front office will move a veteran for future draft capital, and among the names being floated, Calvin Ridley has emerged as the one most likely to draw interest. The possibility of getting even a late-round pick back would fit the kind of deadline calculus teams often make when they are weighing present production against longer-term flexibility.
Tony Pollard, meanwhile, appears far more likely to stay put, which helps narrow the field of real possibilities for Tennessee as the deadline approaches. Amani Hooker, Jacob Martin, Jermaine Johnson and Cody Barton have also been mentioned in the chatter, but none of them is viewed as a likely trade candidate, leaving Ridley as the name that could still shape the Titans' deadline story in Nashville. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Cut Still Carries A Jordan Elliott Twist
Jordan Elliotts next stop may come in Chicago, where the Bears are reportedly lining up a workout for the veteran defensive tackle after his release from Tennessee. Elliott has been around the league long enough to draw interest despite the abrupt end to his Titans stint, with 65 career starts already on his rsum from earlier stops with the Browns and 49ers.
The move still carries the backdrop of the gun incident at the Titans training facility that led to his release, and the NFL is continuing its investigation. Depending on what the league finds, Elliott could still be facing discipline under policy rules, which leaves his immediate football future tied to more than just what happens on the field. [Read more 🡒]