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QB Cam Ward and the Titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp
QB Cam Ward and the Titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp

Yahoo

time10 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

QB Cam Ward and the Titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cam Ward has thrown some very nice passes in his first full week of NFL training camp with the Tennessee Titans. With the Titans in pads back-to-back days, there've been interceptions, tipped balls and dropped passes. Or as the rookie graded the offensive performance: 'Very mid.' The No. 1 overall draft pick said Wednesday it all starts with him. 'I just don't think we're at where we need to be,' Ward said. "But we got a little bit of time. So every day we get better as a whole.' Ward and the Titans have a week to work on improving and cleaning up their issues before a joint practice Aug. 7 on the road against Tampa Bay. Ward was picked off three times Tuesday, then he had a ball tipped by linebacker Cody Barton and intercepted by cornerback Roger McCreary on Wednesday. The rookie quarterback connected with wide receiver Calvin Ridley with a nice deep ball earlier in Wednesday's practice. He also hit Jha'Quan Jackson in the hands on another deep throw that was dropped. After plays, Ward often can be seen talking with his receivers. He also spends time after each practice working to perfect plays that didn't work in practice. Ward said that's what quarterbacks should do to make sure receivers know what he's seeing and they understand what he's doing. He spent time talking with veterans Tyler Lockett and Ridley during Wednesday's practice. 'Lockett, he's a vet in the league,' Ward said. 'He's one of the best route runners at the slot position, always been productive in every stop he had. So we got to learn just where I'm going to put the ball.' Titans coach Brian Callahan isn't worried about Ward bouncing back from a rough practice. It's one of the many reasons Tennessee drafted Ward out of Miami. 'It's just sort of how he's wired,' Callahan said. 'Everything about his mental makeup and how he operates when he makes mistakes is everything you'd want to see from a coaching perspective.' One early issue has been balls getting tipped, especially when Ward throws sidearm. The rookie said he's been throwing sidearm since he was 6 and had those passes tipped during high school and college. He expects more of the same in the NFL. 'I'm not real worried about that," Ward said. "It's ball. How you bounce back the next play. You just got to keep on stacking good points on top of each other.' That even-keel demeanor is what his teammates like about their quarterback. Tight end Chig Okonkwo said Ward has been composed since his first day with the Titans, always ready to go. 'I don't think anything phases him," Okonkwo said. "It's just every day is the same with him.' Notes Callahan said he texted back and forth with Will Levis after the quarterback's surgery Tuesday for his injured right shoulder. The Titans coach said Levis: 'seemed in good spirits, and it sounds like everything went well.' ... Ridley went inside with a trainer after coming up limping a bit with his right lower leg. The Titans said he was being evaluated. ___ AP NFL:

QB Cam Ward and the Titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp
QB Cam Ward and the Titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp

Associated Press

time10 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Associated Press

QB Cam Ward and the Titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cam Ward has thrown some very nice passes in his first full week of NFL training camp with the Tennessee Titans. With the Titans in pads back-to-back days, there've been interceptions, tipped balls and dropped passes. Or as the rookie graded the offensive performance: 'Very mid.' The No. 1 overall draft pick said Wednesday it all starts with him. 'I just don't think we're at where we need to be,' Ward said. 'But we got a little bit of time. So every day we get better as a whole.' Ward and the Titans have a week to work on improving and cleaning up their issues before a joint practice Aug. 7 on the road against Tampa Bay. Ward was picked off three times Tuesday, then he had a ball tipped by linebacker Cody Barton and intercepted by cornerback Roger McCreary on Wednesday. The rookie quarterback connected with wide receiver Calvin Ridley with a nice deep ball earlier in Wednesday's practice. He also hit Jha'Quan Jackson in the hands on another deep throw that was dropped. After plays, Ward often can be seen talking with his receivers. He also spends time after each practice working to perfect plays that didn't work in practice. Ward said that's what quarterbacks should do to make sure receivers know what he's seeing and they understand what he's doing. He spent time talking with veterans Tyler Lockett and Ridley during Wednesday's practice. 'Lockett, he's a vet in the league,' Ward said. 'He's one of the best route runners at the slot position, always been productive in every stop he had. So we got to learn just where I'm going to put the ball.' Titans coach Brian Callahan isn't worried about Ward bouncing back from a rough practice. It's one of the many reasons Tennessee drafted Ward out of Miami. 'It's just sort of how he's wired,' Callahan said. 'Everything about his mental makeup and how he operates when he makes mistakes is everything you'd want to see from a coaching perspective.' One early issue has been balls getting tipped, especially when Ward throws sidearm. The rookie said he's been throwing sidearm since he was 6 and had those passes tipped during high school and college. He expects more of the same in the NFL. 'I'm not real worried about that,' Ward said. 'It's ball. How you bounce back the next play. You just got to keep on stacking good points on top of each other.' That even-keel demeanor is what his teammates like about their quarterback. Tight end Chig Okonkwo said Ward has been composed since his first day with the Titans, always ready to go. 'I don't think anything phases him,' Okonkwo said. 'It's just every day is the same with him.' Notes Callahan said he texted back and forth with Will Levis after the quarterback's surgery Tuesday for his injured right shoulder. The Titans coach said Levis: 'seemed in good spirits, and it sounds like everything went well.' ... Ridley went inside with a trainer after coming up limping a bit with his right lower leg. The Titans said he was being evaluated. ___ AP NFL:

Qb cam ward and the titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp
Qb cam ward and the titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp

Al Arabiya

time10 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Al Arabiya

Qb cam ward and the titans showing growing pains now that pads are on in training camp

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cam Ward has thrown some very nice passes in his first full week of NFL training camp with the Tennessee Titans. With the Titans in pads back-to-back days, there've been interceptions, tipped balls, and dropped passes. Or as the rookie graded the offensive performance: Very mid. The No. 1 overall draft pick said Wednesday it all starts with him. 'I just don't think we're at where we need to be,' Ward said. 'But we got a little bit of time. So every day we get better as a whole.' Ward and the Titans have a week to work on improving and cleaning up their issues before a joint practice Aug. 7 on the road against Tampa Bay. Ward was picked off three times Tuesday, then he had a ball tipped by linebacker Cody Barton and intercepted by cornerback Roger McCreary on Wednesday. The rookie quarterback connected with wide receiver Calvin Ridley with a nice deep ball earlier in Wednesday's practice. He also hit JhaQuan Jackson in the hands on another deep throw that was dropped. After plays, Ward often can be seen talking with his receivers. He also spends time after each practice working to perfect plays that didn't work in practice. Ward said that's what quarterbacks should do to make sure receivers know what he's seeing and they understand what he's doing. He spent time talking with veterans Tyler Lockett and Ridley during Wednesday's practice. 'Lockett, he's a vet in the league,' Ward said. 'He's one of the best route runners at the slot position, always been productive in every stop he had. So we got to learn just where I'm going to put the ball.' Titans coach Brian Callahan isn't worried about Ward bouncing back from a rough practice. It's one of the many reasons Tennessee drafted Ward out of Miami. 'It's just sort of how he's wired,' Callahan said. 'Everything about his mental makeup and how he operates when he makes mistakes is everything you'd want to see from a coaching perspective.' One early issue has been balls getting tipped, especially when Ward throws sidearm. The rookie said he's been throwing sidearm since he was 6 and had those passes tipped during high school and college. He expects more of the same in the NFL. 'I'm not real worried about that,' Ward said. 'It's ball. How you bounce back the next play. You just got to keep on stacking good points on top of each other.' That even-keel demeanor is what his teammates like about their quarterback. Tight end Chig Okonkwo said Ward has been composed since his first day with the Titans, always ready to go. 'I don't think anything phases him,' Okonkwo said. 'It's just every day is the same with him.' Notes: Callahan said he texted back and forth with Will Levis after the quarterback's surgery Tuesday for his injured right shoulder. The Titans coach said Levis: 'seemed in good spirits and it sounds like everything went well.' … Ridley went inside with a trainer after coming up limping a bit with his right lower leg. The Titans said he was being evaluated.

What Titans' Calvin Ridley is doing to make Cam Ward's rookie season easier
What Titans' Calvin Ridley is doing to make Cam Ward's rookie season easier

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

What Titans' Calvin Ridley is doing to make Cam Ward's rookie season easier

Heading into Year 2 with the Titans, receiver Calvin Ridley has a different feeling about the offense. There's confidence that comes after being in a system for a year. "I know the offense," Ridley said July 23 as the Titans opened training camp. "Second year in the offense, I feel confident, way more confident. I really like our quarterback. I'm excited to play and make some plays." The veteran receiver doesn't just feel more comfortable. He wants to be a leader among his position group and is looking to help make rookie quarterback Cam Ward's job easier. "Just give (Ward) confidence," Ridley said. "Being in the right spots, catching all the passes no matter where he throws them and just communicating, watching film after practice." While Ward is a rookie, Ridley's job hasn't been too difficult so far. "It's his timing," Ridley said. "His timing is up to date. He whips it, he's confident, it's smooth. It's an easy, catchable ball." The wide receiver room has a much different feel than last season. The Titans picked up Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson and drafted Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor. There are still some familiar faces among the position group, but with a year as a Titan under his belt, Ridley wants to take charge. The former Falcons receiver had Julio Jones to teach him in Atlanta, and now it's his turn. "I was raised around Julio," Ridley said. "He was the tone setter. It's easy to watch him do it and motivate myself to come out here and lead my guys. They follow right behind you." But it's a two-way street. Ridley knows that just because he's older doesn't mean he can't learn from others around him. "They pick my brain, but we all pick each other's brain," Ridley said. "I pick their brains sometimes because they know more than me sometimes. I like what they do and they like what I do. It's a group effort of brain-picking." Now, it's about making sure the offense is ready to go when the season starts. "I want to see the offense flow smoothly," Ridley said. "I want to see no penalties. I want to see us get in and out of the huddle, make plays and no drops. I want to see an efficient offense." More: Will Levis injury timeline: Titans GM details process that led to QB's surgery decision Effort won't be a difficult ask. With a new quarterback leading the charge, all of the wide receivers are ready to catch passes from Ward. "Those guys are hungry," Ridley said. "All our guys are hungry right now. They're all itching and scratching to get reps and in that starting lineup and make plays for us. They're going to compete." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans training camp: Calvin Ridley on Cam Ward, Year 2 in offense

Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward, 'We gotta be ready to play from day 1'
Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward, 'We gotta be ready to play from day 1'

Yahoo

time4 days ago

  • Sport
  • Yahoo

Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward, 'We gotta be ready to play from day 1'

Throughout the offseason and now continuing into training camp, it has become clear that Cam Ward is the future of the Tennessee Titans. Known for his leadership qualities and work ethic on top of his athletic prowess, Ward has been everything and more than what the Tennessee Titans expected when they selected him with the first overall pick in April. Ward has come into Nashville and won over both the locker room and the organization with his infectious attitude. This isn't just coming from the local media or those that cover the Titans on a daily basis; it has become clear to national NFL insiders as well, with the latest being Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network. As Jeremiah points out, Ward gets into the facility early, before the coaching staff. While this isn't anything new, as it was reported back in June during minicamp, some new details on how this film will work did come out during an interview with Ward for the network. Ward is not alone in his extra work at 5:30. He is usually joined by a group of receivers led by Calvin Ridley, which includes Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor, and Xavier Restrepo, in an attempt to play his best football and have the offense on track early in the season. With Ward and his group of young receivers putting in the extra work, it is easy to see why they have been one of the more exciting units to watch early in training camp. The interview also highlights the increased leadership role Ridley is assuming this offseason, a trend that has been emerging more frequently during player interviews. That dedication bodes well for the Titans' offense, which is looking to surprise teams in 2025. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward, 'We gotta be ready to play from day 1'

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