Pro Football Focus thinks Tennessee Titans rookie QB Cam Ward is in a worse situation than some of his peers
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward is expected to start against the Denver Broncos in Week 1, even if head coach Brian Callahan wants to pretend this is a true QB competition. Ward will step into the starting gig for a team that went an NFL-worse 3-14 last season. Naturally, that comes with difficulties.
New GM Mike Borgonzi attempted to improve the situation around Ward this offseason without getting inpatient in free agency. The biggest additions occurred on the offensive line. Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler should upgrade Tennessee’s protection, an area that was a weakness in front of Will Levis last season.
Still, it’s fair to question the offensive line until we possess tangible proof that it’s improved. The performance of the protection unit is often reliant on chemistry, making it more difficult to predict than the output of a skill player. Furthermore, the Titans appear to have one of the worst wide receiver position rooms in the NFL.
Pro Football Focus recently took all that into account when ranking the situations best to worst that rookie quarterbacks find themselves in. Ward placed No. 3. Puzzlingly, Jaxson Dart (New York Giants) and Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints) were the rookie signal-callers who placed ahead of Ward.
“Cam Ward’s immediate path to a starting role in Tennessee justifies his spot near the top of the list,” Dalton Wasserman wrote. “While the Titans’ receiving corps is thin, the team has invested heavily in the offensive line and boasts a capable backfield with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. Calvin Ridley, who topped 1,000 yards with a 74.7 receiving grade in 2024, gives Ward at least one proven target to lean on as he adjusts to the pro level.
It’s difficult to understand how Dart and Shough are in better situations. Dart is technically No. 3 on the depth chart with more legitimate veteran backups in front of him (Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston) than the ones in Tennessee (Levis, Brandon Allen, Tim Boyle). The Giants also have a lame-duck staff with Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen on the hot seat.
Regarding Shough, the Saints should be preseason favorites to earn the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Veteran quarterback Derek Carr abruptly retired due to a chronic shoulder injury, placing Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener in an uninspiring three-man position battle at QB.
Ward has to earn national respect with the Titans coming off a 3-14 season, but it’s difficult to understand how Shough and Dart are in better situations.