When Cam Ward departed minicamp June 12, he left expecting to compete with incumbent Will Levis for the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback spot.
Popular thought was, as the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick last spring, it was actually Ward’s job to lose, though Titans head coach Brian Callahan said the job would be a competition through training camp, which began Tuesday when players reported to Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville.
kAmr2==292? 92D ?@E 2??@F?465 2 DE2CE6C]k^Am
kAmqFE 2D E96 %:E2?D E2<6 E96 7:6=5 7@C E96:C 7:CDE AC24E:46 @7 42>A (65?6D52J[ (2C5[ 2 (6DE r@=F>3:2 ?2E:G6 2?5 r@=F>3:2 w:89 DE2?5@FE[ 7:?5D 9:>D6=7 DF556?=J F?4@?E6DE65 😕 AFCDF:E @7 “q` 7@C E96 %:E2?D’ D62D@? @A6?6C $6AE] f 2E s6?G6C G6CDFD E96 qC@?4@D]k^Am
kAmxE H2D C6A@CE65 |@?52J E92E {6G:D H:== 92G6 D62D@?\6?5:?8 D9@F=56C DFC86CJ] %:E2?D !C6D:56?E @7 u@@E32== ~A6C2E:@?D r925 qC:?<6C 4@?7:C>65 E92E %F6D52J 5FC:?8 2 ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 H:E9 86?6C2= >2?286C |:<6 q@C8@?K:[ 2== 3FE 2DDFC:?8 E96 DE2CE:?8 ;@3 😀 (2C5’D[ E96 7C2?49:D6’D 7:CDE }@] ` @G6C2== A:4< D:?46 CF??:?8 324< t2C= r2>A36== 😕 `hfg]k^Am
kAm“~FE @7 C6DA64E E@ (:==[ H6 92G6 925 4@?G6CD2E:@?D[” q@C8@?K: D2:5] “w6’D 366? G6CJ EC2?DA2C6?E H:E9 FD] (6 6H E96C6 H2D 2 A@DD:3:=:EJ E92E 96 4@F=5 92G6 E9:D DFC86CJ] qFE ;FDE @FE @7 C6DA64E H:E9 (:==[ E@ 9:>[ x’5 =:<6 E@ <66A E9@D6 >65:42= 4@?G6CD2E:@?D AC:G2E6]k^Am
kAm“(6 H6C6 2H2C6 @7 :E[ E9@F89]”k^Am
kAmq@C8@?K: H2D 2D<65 :7 96 E9@F89E (2C5 A=2J65 2?J C@=6 😕 {6G:D 564:5:?8 E@ 8@ E9C@F89 H:E9 E96 DFC86CJ]k^Am
kAm“*@F’5 92G6 E@ 2D< (:==[” q@C8@?K: D2:5] “%96C6 H2D 4@>A6E:E:@?] %92E’D H92E H6 DE2E65 7C@> E96 368:??:?8] }@E9:?8’D C62==J 8@:?8 E@ 492?86 H:E9 E92E]”k^Am
kAm{6G:D H2D D6=64E65 3J E96 %:E2?D H:E9 E96 bbC5 @G6C2== A:4< 😕 a_ab] {2DE D62D@?[ 96 E9C6H 7@C a[_h` J2C5D H:E9 `b E@F495@H?D E@ `a :?E6C46AE:@?D] {6G:D H2D D24<65 c` E:>6D 😕 %6??6DD66’D b\`c 42>A2:8? E92E 62C?65 :E E96 }@] ` A:4< 😕 pAC:=’D 5C27E]k^Am
kAm%96 C:89E\92?565 {6G:D DAC2:?65 E96 pr ;@:?E 😕 9:D C:89E D9@F=56C $6AE] b_ 282:?DE |:2>:] w6 >:DD65 E9C66 82>6D 367@C6 C6EFC?:?8 E@ 24E:@?]k^Am
kAmx? 2==[ {6G:D DE2CE65 `a 82>6D =2DE D62D@?[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 D62D@? 7:?2=6]k^Am
kAm“(6 6H 27E6C E96 D62D@?[ C6DE 2?5 C6923 H2D E96 C64@>>6?52E:@? 7C@> @FC DE277[” q@C8@?K: D2:5] “%96J C64@>>6?565 96 AFD9 E9C@F89 E96 @77D62D@?[ H9:49 96 5:5] w6 925 2 C62==J 8@@5 @77D62D@?] p?5 :7 96 76=E 5:D4@>7@CE[ 96 H@F=5 AC@4665 H:E9 E96 DFC86CJ] p?5 E92E’D H92E 96 5:5]”k^Am
kAm{6G:D 92D E9C@H? 7@C b[ghh J2C5D[ a` E@F495@H?D E@ `e E@F495@H?D 2?5 92D 2? ga]f A2DD6C C2E:?8 E9C@F89 9:D 7:CDE EH@ D62D@?D 2D 2 %:E2?[ 4@>A=6E:?8 e` A6C46?E @7 9:D A2DD6D]k^Am
kAmpD:56 7C@> (2C5[ ab[ E96 %:E2?D 2=D@ 25565 G6E6C2?D qC2?5@? p==6? 2?5 %:> q@J=6 E@ E96 BF2CE6C324< C@@> E9:D @77D62D@?]k^Am
kAmp==6?[ ba[ H2D 2 D:IE9\C@F?5 A:4< 3J E96 y246D[ DE2CE:?8 `_[ @G6C 7:G6 D62D@?D H:E9 s6?G6C[ r:?4:??2E: 2?5 $2? uC2?4:D4@]k^Am
kAmq@J=6[ b_[ H2D F?5C27E65 2?5 92D A=2J65 😕 ab 82>6D[ H:E9 7:G6 DE2CED[ @G6C D:I J62CD H:E9 vC66? q2J[ s6EC@:E[ r9:428@[ E96 }6H *@C< y6ED[ |:2>: 2?5 }6H *@C< v:2?ED]k^Am
kAmq@C8@?K: D2:5 96 5:5 ?@E D66 E96 E62> 255:?8 2?@E96C BF2CE6C324<]k^Am
kAm“%96J 92G6 82>6 C6AD[ DE2CE6C C6AD[” q@C8@?K: D2:5 @7 p==6? 2?5 q@J=6] “qC2?5@? H2D H:E9 qC:2? 😕 r:?4:??2E: 2?5 92D 2 C62==J 8@@5 F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 E96 @776?D6] w6 925 2 C62==J 8@@5 @77D62D@? 96C6[ E@@] x H2D :>AC6DD65 H:E9 9:>] x’G6 H2E4965 qC2?5@? @G6C E96 J62CD[ 2?5 6G6CJ E:>6 96 8@6D @FE E96C6[ 96 4@>A6E6D 92C5]k^Am
kAm“(6’C6 8@:?8 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E@ 6G2=F2E6 E92E A@D:E:@? =:<6 6G6CJ A@D:E:@? 😕 EC2:?:?8 42>A]”k^Am
kAmr2==292?[ H9@ 😀 6IA64E65 E@ DA62< E@ E96 >65:2 (65?6D52J >@C?:?8[ C@E2E65 BF2CE6C324 2?5 5:5 ?@E 2??@F?46 2 DE2CE6C] %92E 😀 6IA64E65 E@ 4@?E:?F6 :?E@ EC2:?:?8 42>A]k^Am
kAm{6G:D 5:5 E2<6 A2CE 😕 E96 %:E2?D @77D62D@? AC@8C2>[ 6IAC6DD:?8 4@>7@CE 😕 9:D D64@?5 D62D@? 😕 r2==292?’D @776?D6] w6 D2:5 96 76=E 9:D 244FC24J 2?5 E649?:BF6 925 :>AC@G65]k^Am
kAm(2C5[ H9@ E@@< E96 >@DE C6AD @7 2== E96 BF2CE6C324AC6DD65 E62>>2E6D 2?5 4@2496D E9C@F89 E9C66 52JD @7 C@@<:6 42>A |2J `_\`a[ D:I 52JD @7 ~C82?:K65 %62> p4E:G:E:6D |2J af\yF?6 d 2?5 >:?:42>A yF?6 `_\`a]k^Am
kAm“#62= 8@@5[” (2C5 E@=5 %96 u24ED @7 9:D @77D62D@? 5FC:?8 9:D 2??F2= J@FE9 42>A yF?6 ah 😕 (6DE r@=F>3:2] “yFDE =62C?:?8 6G6CJ 52J 7C@> E96 G6ED[ H96E96C :E’D E96 @E96C BF2CE6C324[ E96 4@2496D[ E96 C646:G:?8 4@CAD[ E96 ~\=:?6] tG6CJ3@5J’D E6249:?8 >6 D@>6E9:?8 6G6CJ 52J]”k^Am
kAm(2C5’D 2C> DEC6?8E9[ 564:D:@?\>2<:?8 2?5 BF:4< C6=62D6 H6C6 C2G65 23@FE]k^Am
kAm“w6’D 8@E 2 =@E @7 H@C< E@ 5@ 2?5 2 =@?8 C@25 29625 @7 9:> 3FE x E9:?< J@F 2== 92G6 D66? E96 E2=6?E] xE’D AC6EEJ :>AC6DD:G6[” qC:?<6C D2:5] “%96 H2J 96’D 82:?:?8 E96 C6DA64E @7 9:D E62>>2E6D 😀 D@>6E9:?8 x’G6 D66? 7C@> E96 A6C:A96C2=] qFE H6 2=D@ @H E9:D 😀 2 A6C7@C>2?46\32D65 3FD:?6DD[ D@ 96’D 8@E E@ 8@ @FE 2?5 A6C7@C>[ 2?5 H96? 96 5@6D :E’D ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ 6=6G2E6 E96 6?E:C6 AC@8C2>]”k^Am
kAmq@C8@?K: H2D 5:C64E H96? 2D<65 H92E 96 H2?E65 E@ D66 7C@> (2C5 2D 42>A 368:?Di “yFDE 8C@HE9]”k^Am
kAm“r@249 >6?E:@?65 😕 E96 DAC:?8 96’D C62==J 92AAJ H:E9 E96 AC@8C6DD:@? E92E 96’D 925[” q@C8@?K: D2:5] “$@[ :E’D 4@?E:?F6 E@ 8C@H] %96 A=2J3@@<[ E96 C6A6CE@:C6 H:E9 E96 C646:G6CD] #625:?8 4@G6C286D] p== E92E DEF77 E92E 8@6D :?E@ A=2J:?8 😕 E9:D =628F6 2E E96 BF2CE6C324< A@D:E:@?] (6 766= C62==J 8@@5 23@FE E96 AC@8C6DD E92E 96’D >256 2?5 H96C6 96’D 962565]”k^Am
kAm(2C5 D2:5 =2DE >@?E9 9:D 3:886DE =62C?:?8 4FCG6 😀 E96 AC@E64E:@?D 2?5 86EE:?8 @? E96 D2>6 A286 2D C646:G6CD 2?5 E96 @776?D:G6 =:?6]k^Am
kAmw6 😀 6I4:E65 E@ 6G6?EF2==J 4@>A6E6 282:?DE @E96C 5676?D6D]k^Am
kAm%96 AC6D62D@? D=2E6 368:?D 😕 `g 52JD]k^Am
kAm%6??6DD66 A=2JD 2E %2>A2 q2J @? pF8] h[ 2E pE=2?E2 @? pF8] `d 2?5 9@DED |:??6D@E2 @? pF8] aa]k^Am
kAm%96 %:E2?D G:D:E %2>A2 q2J @? pF8] f 7@C 2 ;@:?E AC24E:46 AC:@C E@ E96:C 82>6] %96J 2=D@ G:D:E pE=2?E2 pF8] `a\`b 7@C 2 A2:C @7 ;@:?E AC24E:46D E96 7@==@H:?8 H66<]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 2 8@@5 E9:?8 E@ EC2G6= 2C@F?5[ 8@ D4C:>>286 A6@A=6[ 86E D@>6 AC6D62D@? 82>6D[” (2C5 D2:5] “xE’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 6I4:E:?8 E@ 8@ 282:?DE 5:776C6?E 5676?D6D @E96C E92? @FCD]”k^Am
kAm(2C5 2=C625J 92D 3F:=E 2 C6AFE2E:@? 7@C 36:?8 @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE 😕 E96 3F:=5:?8 6G6CJ 52J 2?5 @?6 @7 E96 =2DE E@ =62G6]k^Am
kAmqC:?<6C H2D 2D<65 :7 96 6IA64E65 E@ D66 (2C5 2E d 2]>][ A6C FDF2=[ 😕 E96 3F:=5:?8 (65?6D52J >@C?:?8[ C625J E@ 8@]k^Am
kAm“x’> DFC6 96 H:==[” qC:?<6C D2:5 H:E9 2 49F4<=6] “w6’D 366? 4@?D:DE6?E] w6 H@C C6DA64ED 9:>[ ;FDE E96 H2J 96 8@6D 23@FE 9:D H@C<] %96C6’D 366? E:>6D 96’D 362E 4@2496D E@ E96 3F:=5:?8] x 4@>6 😕 AC6EEJ 62C=J 2?5 x D66 9:>[ E@@] w6’D 366? :>AC6DD:G6]”k^Am