Every object stays at rest until a force acts on it. For a quarterback stuck in a chaotic rookie year, that force is his new offensive coordinator.
A Rookie Year Stuck in Neutral
Cam Ward was drafted last season into a Tennessee Titans team that was desperate for a new beginning. The first round draft pick didn't buckle under pressure and was welcomed by a fanbase as if he was wrapped with a bow underneath the Christmas tree. Ward may have set the franchise rookie passing record (3,169 yards), however the season ended on a staggering record of 3-14. There were flashes of Ward's ability to create plays, but the overall efficiency we saw from the young quarterback was, for lack of a better word, unremarkable.
There was another rookie quarterback that struggled in 1998, throwing what is still the rookie record in interceptions. Peyton Manning came out of the University of Tennessee after a winning senior season and ended his rookie season in Indianapolis with a 3-13 record. Manning's future HoF running back, Marshall Faulk, would later say the 28 interceptions from Manning that first season were "the best thing that ever happened to Peyton Manning." All this to say, Cam Ward hasn't shown us he's a future MVP and Canton member, but year one of an NFL career is a lousy predictor for an NFL quarterback.
Is Ward without fault? Absolutely not. But we can also see that Cam Ward's rookie season was the product of chaos within the Titans' organization. Head Coach Brian Callahan gave up play calling after three games in the regular season to QB Coach Bo Hardegree. Callahan was then fired after game six and replaced with interim head coach Mike McCoy. After Callahan's firing, Cam Ward became the 4th quarterback drafted first overall whose coach was fired during their rookie season. Ward was 6 weeks into the regular season and already experiencing multiple play caller changes and losing his first NFL head coach after working with him all offseason. Did he lock in and single-handedly carry the team to victory? Absolutely not. This is the NFL. You can't expect one young quarterback to pull off a winning season against seasoned veteran defenders each and every week. Cam Ward was stuck last season. Scrambling staff, dwindling fan attendance and support, and an offensive line that helped him tie for the most sacks taken in the league.
A Proven Quarterback Developer
Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll is the variable that is going to turn Ward and the Tennessee Titans' entire offense around. If there's one thing Daboll is capable of, it's developing young quarterbacks that are struggling to find their way in a fast-paced NFL. Josh Allen kicked off his time in the NFL with a morbid 52.8% completion percentage (7 percentage points worse than Cam Ward) and claimed the MVP award just six years later. In PressMan Coverage's latest film breakdown with Stoney Keeley, Keeley recounted Daboll's strategy with Allen:
"He looked at Josh Allen struggling his rookie year, and he said we're trying to run plays that he ran at Wyoming because he's familiar with those plays. But then he thought to himself, wait a second, Josh Allen sucked at Wyoming."
Daboll didn't take the plays that weren't working for Allen and fix him. He threw them out and built around elements like consistency and accuracy, something Allen and the Bills desperately needed. Between a newfound development in his short game and the addition of one Stefon Diggs at WR in 2020, Allen transformed into a top-3 NFL quarterback. Daboll is a versatile offensive coordinator. Stoney Keeley said it best on PressMan Coverage:
"We're talking about a guy that is very malleable to his quarterback. So I could very much see a situation where they look at Cam Ward and say, he's got the deep stuff down. Why are we practicing any deep stuff? Why not focus on the things that he needs to get better at?"
Not Just Josh Allen
Josh Allen isn't Daboll's only example of turning around a quarterback's performance. Daniel Jones went 12-25 as a starter in three years with the New York Giants, where he'd throw 45 touchdowns against 29 interceptions. In his first year of being coached by Brian Daboll, Jones would improve his completion percentage to 67.2%, post a 3:1 touchdown to interception ratio, and even win a playoff game. Daboll was the head coach in New York, so he wasn't Daniel Jones' personal trainer, but this situation just proves that when Daboll implemented his offensive teachings to that New York team, there was improvement. The New York Giants didn't ride off into the sunset with Brian Daboll, as the team's magic would fade and administrative decisions led to Daboll landing in Nashville, Tennessee.
"This is a guy that offensively coordinates as a craft."
The Play-Action Factor
Between Daboll's offensive scheme adjustments and Cam Ward's athleticism, expect to see the play action in full swing this season for the Titans. Daboll will use Cam's rollout ability and the offensive line to produce play action schemes that may not promise 60 yard passes down the field to Carnell Tate, but they will allow Ward the opportunity to shine and produce efficient numbers.
Proceed with caution. There is no guarantee that Ward pans out. Allen took three years and Daniel Jones' improvement would eventually fade. Before Cam Ward can be the hero of the story and lead the Titans to greatness, the fans need to see consistency from their sophomore quarterback. Brian Daboll is the catalyst for change in this Titans' offense.
Cam Ward has a seasoned offensive coordinator and a host of wide receivers with untapped potential at his fingertips. The two preseason games we saw Cam Ward play weren't completely alarming, but they did prove that the young quarterback still has work to do. If there's one thing we can count on 100%, it's that Cam Ward isn't going to shy away from hard work.
The Bar for 2026
Measuring success this season shouldn't be done by looking solely at the Titans' W/L record at the end of the year. I'm putting my meter for success on two factors: completion percentage increase to the high 60s and an overall QB rating that breaks 90. The fans can't ask Ward to take them to the Super Bowl just yet, but gradual improvement and consistency would be a significant win for this team at the quarterback position.
We are days away from the Titans' home opener against the New York Jets, where we will see Daboll's teachings begin to take root in Cam Ward's gameplay. Cam Ward's first test of the season is here.
Tune in to PressMan Coverage as we follow Cam's growth and bring in more guests like Stoney Keeley to talk all the ifs, ands, and buts about Titans football.
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