3 Reasons Why Titans Will Have to Move On From Cam Ward and Draft a New Quarterback Next Year
The Tennessee Titans placed a lot of hope on Cam Ward to be their next franchise cornerstone, but hasn't panned out yet.
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Cam Ward's time may be running out (Image via Beerly Football/X)
When Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Cam Ward as the Tennessee Titans’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the franchise’s fans felt that this was going to be the start of a new era where they would get to enjoy winning football.
After all, the quarterback led the Miami Hurricanes to a 10–3 record and helped the Washington State Cougars achieve decent results in his two years there. Without those years in college, no one would even have heard of a QB who used to play for Division 1 minnows, the Incarnate Word Cardinals.
Usually, prospects from that program last two years, on average. Since Ward was possibly much better than what they have produced to date, he felt he was better off playing for the Cougars and then the Hurricanes.
However, after a full year and five games this season, there are doubts whether the Cardinals’ reputation did not leave him. The signal caller is 3–19 in that span, a record that could get worse considering the Tennessee Titans’ remaining schedule.
Before their Week 9 bye, the best the franchise can hope for is a win over the Cleveland Browns. But even they are in the midst of a resurgence. Therefore, barring any major surprises, it is highly unlikely that the Titans could win another game this season.
That is, unless Cam Ward becomes the franchise cornerstone he was touted to be, pulls a rabbit out of a hat, and helps his team win some games. But even if he does, the organization should look at another QB in next year’s draft. Below are a few reasons the Titans need to move on before it is too late.
Cam Ward has been poor despite having starter benefits
There was no doubt Cam Ward was the best quarterback in the 2025 Draft class. However, that class was historically weak when it came to signal callers, with the next best bet being Shedeur Sanders.
He may have ended up in the fifth round, but he showed flashes of his ability when plugged in as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback. But that was with almost no offseason practice time with the first-team offense.
Fellow draftees Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough also had to play backup before taking over as their respective team’s starting quarterback spot. That leaves just Ward as the lone playmaker who had the benefit of practicing with the starting offensive unit before the start of the 2025 season.
Despite that, he could only muster three wins for his team. He engineered enough drives to win the first and had to thank veteran running back Tony Pollard to win the second. The last win against an injury-riddled Kansas City Chiefs is probably why the Titans stuck with Ward.
But the odds are stacked against him. Sanders narrowly missed out on starting for the Browns, and both Dart and Shough enjoyed successful runs until the former ended his season with an injury.
In five games, Ward has averaged just 179.2 yards, while also registering three touchdowns and three interceptions. Dart threw the same number of touchdowns in just the two games he played.
Shough has three times Ward’s scores, with just two more interceptions. In comparison, Cam Ward has been downright poor, as he has been playing in Brian Daboll‘s offense, which made Dart a superstar last season.
Cam Ward’s attitude raises eyebrows
Beyond the obvious evidence that Cam Ward is struggling to prove he is worthy of being entrusted with the franchise quarterback role, new questions have been raised about his attitude.
After their Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the 24-year-old arrived at the media room, only to find reporters still in the locker room talking to other players.
The impatient youngster then threatened to walk out if he had to wait more than three minutes, and kept tapping his fingers on the podium. That, to many, was a sign that the QB may have an air about him, even though the results speak otherwise.
The backlash followed, but he tried to brush it off as a social media narrative. That may have been the easiest PR trick in the book, but the telltale signs are concerning.
Cam Ward may have been a good quarterback in college. But in the NFL, with that kind of attitude, questions about his humility come up. Is he intentionally trying to sound brash, or is this a sign that he may not be open-minded enough to accept accountability and improve? His coaches might want him to succeed, but it has to come from within.
Titans can have better prospects next season
The Tennessee Titans invested heavily when they selected Cam Ward with their No. 1 overall pick. Usually, teams picking that high tend to hold on to their investment as long as they can.
The walls are closing in, and time is running out to give the Hurricanes alum opportunities to prove himself. If he continues to struggle, maybe it is time for the organization to look towards the 2027 NFL Draft.
Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker is currently atop everyone’s mock draft boards. But they can also look at another Miami QB, Darian Mensah, but coming from the same concept might not interest the Titans.
Then there are Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, and the most important name, irrespective of his still-unclear ability, Texas Longhorns junior Arch Manning.
If the franchise is still not convinced between any of them, they can trade down to select either Oregon’s Dante Moore or Missouri’s Austin Simmons. Then, if one of the other top college football QB’s rise up the table, they can even send scouts to their respective games.
The plethora of options next season is also why the New York Jets negotiated for those picks this past offseason. Therefore, the Titans can make a play and draft someone who can at least be better than Cam Ward. He has been given time, but the lack of results makes this a necessity.
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