FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Titans are here amid a 10-day road trip that started in Tampa, and is ending here with two joint practices and a preseason game with the Falcons. Here’s what we’ve got from Tennessee’s reworked operation …
• Cam Ward’s going to be the first player anyone talks about, and it’s now a fait accompli that he’ll be the starter. It’s been trending that way all along, with the coaches giving him a 2–1 split of first-team reps in the spring, as he competed with Will Levis before Levis went down for the year with a shoulder injury. Now, the runway is clear and, by all accounts, Ward’s running full speed. Brian Callahan, Nick Holz and the coaches have used a tough-love approach with Ward to test how he’ll handle some natural adversity. In one practice, they ran 15 consecutive third-down reps, and the offensive coaches had DC Dennard Wilson throw the kitchen sink at him. Ward responded with a square jaw. He’s already taken ownership of certain things around him—one example is how he, as we wrote in the spring, has continued to run meetings for the rookie skill players on his own in the 5 a.m. hour regularly. So the football IQ and work ethic pieces are there. We’ll see what it looks like when we get to Week 1.
• Ward’s leadership is necessary because a lot of his rookie classmates will play on offense, with as many as seven or eight likely to have significant roles. Fourth-round receiver Chimere Dike and Elicn Ayomanor—the former a speedy slot, the latter a bigger “X” receiver—are going to play as rookies, and are competing with Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson for snaps alongside Calvin Ridley. Another fourth-rounder, Gunnar Helm, should have a sizable role, too. The ex-Texas tight end still needs to get stronger, but already has shown the toughness and athleticism to be an excellent middle-of-the-field target from the jump, with the potential to grow into a solid all-around tight end. And sixth-round running back Kalel Mullings should at least have a role on special teams. The good news is the emphasis on culture fits for Callahan, with new GM Mike Borgonzi, has turned out a group of guys who are workers and ready for the pros.
• The offensive line has stabilized, which was a significant priority for Callahan, Borgonzi and president Chad Brinker to lay a foundation for a young quarterback. New left tackle Dan Moore Jr. gives the team a competent piece at an important spot, and allows the team to flip JC Latham, who’s lost a ton of weight, back over to his college position on the right side. Former first-rounder Peter Skoronski is ascending at left guard, Lloyd Cushenberry’s healthy again at center, and 14-year vet Kevin Zeitler is steady at right guard. Depth could be an issue, and this isn’t the best line in the league or anything like that, but the improvement up front should be a big key in getting Ward up and running.
• The pass rush looms as an issue. Jeffery Simmons cut weight, is now down to the 300- to 305-pound range, and the plan is to get him upfield more to wreak havoc. However, the Titans have a ton of work to do on the edge. Arden Key gives them a known quantity, and veteran Dre’Mont Jones comes over from Seattle, and looks like he has a chance to bounce back. The most talented guy might be second-round rookie Femi Oladejo, who has all the physical traits you’d look for in a pass rush, but is raw and could take a year to develop. The pass rush would be one area where the Titans, who have priority in the waiver order, could make some claims.
• Corner’s another spot where Tennessee could add, especially with the uncertainty surrounding La’Jarius Sneed’s health. The good news on the back end of the defense is that the safety spot is taken care of, with veteran Xavier Woods joining Amani Hooker, and promising rookie Kevin Winston Jr. is working his way back from the torn ACL he sustained in his final year at Penn State. As a rookie, Winston could play a Kyle Hamilton-type of role underneath in the nickel for Ravens-bred DC Dennard Wilson. As for the leadership equation on defense, both Woods and linebacker Cody Barton have impressed coming in from the outside, giving a unit that still needs a lot of work a couple of traffic directors.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Titans Training Camp 2025: Tough-Love Approach Has Helped Cam Ward.