Titans' Cam Ward Only Rookie Named Starting QB

There are other backups around the league from this year's rookie class. Jaxson Dart is the backup to Russell Wilson for the New York Giants, while Dillon Gabriel is the QB2 for the Cleveland Browns behind Joe Flacco. Other quarterbacks are in the third string, including Jalen Milroe (Seattle Seahawks), Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns), Will Howard (Pittsburgh Steelers), Riley Leonard (Indianapolis Colts), Graham Mertz (Houston Texans) and Quinn Ewers (Miami Dolphins).

Ward is the only one that's being trusted with the keys to the offense, but he is perhaps the most pro-ready out of anyone in the draft class. Ward has been a starting quarterback for the last five years in college, spending 2020 and 2021 with Incarnate Word, 2022 and 2023 with Washington State and 2024 with Miami, where he blossomed into a Heisman Trophy contender.

The Titans hope Ward will be able to showcase the talent that made him one of the best quarterbacks in college football last season.

There are various ways in which teams can develop their rookie quarterback, and it varies for each situation. For a team like the Titans that went 3-14 last season and lost Will Levis for the year when he underwent shoulder surgery, Ward is the default starter.

The Titans are happy to trot Ward out there, but there isn't much of a choice for them. The goal for the Titans is to make sure Ward isn't just the default pick or the lesser of two evils, but rather someone they are excited and confident in starting every week.