Cam Ward struggled against 49ers' backup D, but Titans don't sound worried about it

Cam Ward’s rookie season was, on the whole, bad.

You didn’t hear much about that for some reason. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick got a pass for the most part. Everyone decided to point out the highlights and focus on the terrible situation the Tennessee Titans put him in, which was valid. This offseason brought a much better environment, with new head coach Robert Saleh, new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and some new talent on the roster.

But in Thursday’s preseason opener, the results didn’t look much different.

The Titans played starters in their first preseason game while the San Francisco 49ers sat just about everyone of note. Ward helped lead a touchdown drive to start the game but struggled with accuracy. He went 5 of 12 for 57 yards. He almost threw an interception across the middle but it was dropped. It might not have been a big deal — it was just a few drives in a preseason opener while running a new offense, after all — but it happening against the 49ers’ backups isn’t great. Especially after Ward’s rookie struggles.

Saleh said he wasn’t worried. However, it wasn’t the outing that will make Titans fans feel confident heading into an important season.

Cam Ward had a rough outing against the 49ers in the Titans' first preseason game. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)Thearon W. Henderson via Getty ImagesRobert Saleh unconcerned about Cam Ward

Ward looked indecisive at times and was inaccurate on other throws. The hesitation could be him getting his first game snaps in Daboll’s scheme. He held the ball too long on a few throws, including one in which he took an intentional grounding penalty as he was about to be sacked. The inaccuracy could also be attributed to new plays and new teammates.

Saleh didn’t sound concerned.

"There's no doubt Cam is capable," Saleh said. "We've just got to go execute.”

Saleh said Ward needs more playing time and the first-team offense might get the whole first half in Tennessee’s next preseason game, via the Tennessean.

"He was making the right decisions, and he was throwing the ball where it needed to be thrown,” Saleh said, via the Tennessean. “But, again, it comes back to time on task, trusting yourself and trusting your teammates.

"Get your feet in the ground and throw an accurate football. It's that simple. It sounds simple, but at the same time, we've got to be able to go do it and take it from practice to the game."

Perhaps all Ward needs is a little more time. Limited reps in the preseason isn’t the best gauge of any player’s true self, on the good side or the bad.

It’s just a little scary considering Ward had a long way to go after last season.

Ward coming off a poor rookie season

Last season, Ward and the Titans passing game ranked near the bottom of the NFL in most passing metrics. Included in that, they were were 31st in passing EPA per play and 31st in passing success rate, ahead of only the Browns.

That wasn’t all Ward’s fault. The Titans put him in a bad situation, starting with retaining coach Brian Callahan for another season even though he wasn’t the answer. And Ward did have some marvelous plays in which he made it clear why he was the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft.

Perhaps we get to the regular season, Ward plays well and a few uneven drives in the preseason opener are a distant memory. Overreaction to anything that happens in the preseason is a staple of August football, and a lot of it doesn’t translate to the regular season.

But the stakes are high for Ward and the Titans this season. If he struggles like he did last season, with a new coaching staff and upgraded teammates, there will be real concern going into next offseason. Especially with the Titans opening a new stadium in 2027. The rest of the preseason might not get us closer to that answer on Ward, but some better results would quell some concerns before the regular season starts.