The Tennessee Titans are hoping to turn things around with Cam Ward as their starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.
The pick was the first step for general manager Mike Borgonzi in his rebuild with the Titans, and he explained how valuable a quarterback can be for the team.
"I just think if you identify a franchise quarterback, there's really not a price that you can pay for that," Borgonzi said via ESPN insider Turron Davenport.
"That's the most important position in all of sports. He's a young quarterback and he still has a lot of things to work on, but I think the intangibles with him, his work ethic, his want to become better, we felt comfortable with that."
Borgonzi believes that Ward's confidence will take him far as he looks to cement his placement within the team.
"You can feel the confidence," Borgonzi said via Davenport. "It is not cocky or arrogant, but there's a confidence there that you need to have as a player and a quarterback."
Titans head coach Brian Callahan also spoke about Ward's confidence and how he may carry himself as a leader for the team.
"It's the leadership ability and the way he's able to make those around him better," Callahan said via Davenport.
"There are a lot of guys that can play the position, but the guys that transcend have a unique ability to connect with their teammates and then raise the level of everyone around him. I think that's what he has shown at every stop he's been and hopefully that continues here."
Ward will continue his ascent towards becoming the team's starting quarterback of the future when the Titans convene next week for rookie minicamp on Friday and Saturday.
More must-reads:
Green Bay Packers star quarterback Jordan Love and his wife, Ronika Stone Love, are truly in, well, love. The couple just got married in June, and with the Packers deep into their preparation for the upcoming 2025 NFL season, Ronika shows full support for her husband. In a social media post on Instagram, Ronika shared a series of photos from last Saturday’s Packers Family Night at Lambeau Field. The first photo on the post shows a happy Ronika in the arms of the former Utah State Aggies star signal-caller. “My version of a Lambeau Leap,” Ronika wrote as a caption. Last season, Love played in 15 games, throwing for a total of 3,389 passing yards to go along with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. That year was considered a down one for Love, but many expect him to come up with a bigger performance in 2025, as Green Bay looks to surpass its 11-win total in 2024. Fans react to Jordan Love’s wife’s Green Bay Packers Lambeau Leap Apart from Love, many others reacted to Ronika’s heartwarming post. Here are some of them: “Two Green Bay 10’s right there,” said a fan. Another one said: “Hair looks amazing” From a commenter: “Awhhhh y’all are so cute!! And I’m obsessed with the hair it’s giving SZA!! ” “Love the Loves!,” a social media user posted. Via a different commenter: “your outfit is adorable” Said another: “I love the fit! Both of yall ”
Adam Peters is still trying to put together an acceptable contract offer that works for wide receiver Terry McLaurin. But the Washington Commanders general manager has some crucial roster decisions upcoming with final cuts on the not-too-distant horizon. Training camp is in full swing. Preseason games and joint practices are upcoming, which represent a good measuring stick for the Commanders to determine the fate of some who have their respective futures hanging in the balance. There will be no sentiment whatsoever attached to the team's decision-making process. And for one multi-purpose weapon, his status is becoming increasingly precarious. Kazmeir Allen could be the odd man out in Commanders' offensive dynamic The competition for places is fierce. This bears more significance in the running back room, although Peters didn't do much to fortify the unit during a busy second recruitment period at the helm. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will lead the charge. They have experience and proven production, but they will both need to improve to get new deals from the franchise next spring. And then, there's the presence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to factor into the equation. Croskey-Merritt has blazed a trail from the moment he joined the organization. He's flashed exceptional promise, which could lead to rotational involvement right out of the gate if he passes some difficult upcoming tests with flying colors. That doesn't bode well for anyone else looking to make the roster. Kazmeir Allen is among them, but it's looking unlikely that the dual-threat out of UCLA is going to find his name on the final 53-man squad. Allen has versatility. He can play at running back or wide receiver with minimal fuss. The elusive former undrafted free agent is also a dynamic kick returner. Unfortunately, the Commanders have a few others capable of picking up the slack in that regard. Ekeler, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Jeremy McNichols, and even Deebo Samuel Sr. have all been getting looks in the return game at training camp. Allen won't be giving up without a fight, but it's clear that he's further down the pecking order than ever before. There's a chance Allen can stick around on the practice squad, as he's done for the last couple of years. That represents the best-case scenario. A bold yet attainable objective for the third-year pro, even though he'd probably like something more substantial. How Allen performs in the preseason will ultimately determine his fate. But from the outside looking in, he faces a significant fight to change the narrative. More Commanders news and analysis
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone responded Sunday, one day after Alex Rodriguez suggested his team lacks discipline and accountability. On FOX’s MLB pregame show Saturday, Rodriguez questioned the “accountability” of the Yankees after Boone did not pull Jazz Chisholm from Saturday’s loss to Miami after the infielder made a brutal baserunning blunder. Rodriguez suggested that the Yankees do not face consequences for such mistakes, and that it has contributed to further errors. “If any one of us made a mistake, we would be sitting our butt right on the bench,” Rodriguez said. “I see mistake after mistake, and there’s no consequences.” Boone took issue with those remarks when asked about them on Sunday. He said he accepts that the Yankees will always face added scrutiny, but that he disagreed with the substance of Rodriguez’s remarks. “I would disagree a little bit with the accountability factor, but the reality is, we’re focused every day on being the best we can be,” Boone said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “That’s how we have to do it. But I understand when it doesn’t happen, or we don’t have the record that I think we should have, or certainly people think we should have — that comes with the territory.” Boone is known for keeping things positive publicly, even when things are going poorly for the Yankees. That has led to some criticism from fans, who feel that he goes too easy on his players when they are underperforming. The team’s recent stretch of mediocre play combined with a lack of consequences for errors like Chisholm’s have reinforced those critiques. The Yankees lost again on Sunday and were swept by the Marlins, dropping them to 60-51 on the season. Until the team starts consistently winning again, Boone is going to hear more comments like Rodriguez’s.
Just when it seems the Miami Dolphins and wide receiver Tyreek Hill are settling their issues, they resurface. After Friday's practice, Hill said the Dolphins should stop using undersized running back De'Von Achane (5-foot-9, 188 pounds) in short-yardage situations. The WR added they should use RB Jaylen Wright (5-foot-10, 210 pounds) instead. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, however, said they used Wright in short-yardage situations during Friday's practice. The coach didn't seem to appreciate Hill revealing the team's offensive plans to the media. "I thought it was genius reporting by Tyreek, seeing how we had a short-yardage period that very day," the coach said Sunday, per David Furones of the Sun Sentinel. "His suggestion was congruent with [associate HC/running backs coach Eric Studesville]. That's exactly how we repped the backs that very day." Hill's not keeping all of his promises, either. Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald reported he skipped Sunday's stretch before practice. The WR did this regularly over the past two seasons with Miami, but previously said he felt it was vital for him to start attending. "Yeah, I think it's very important because football is a team sport," Hill said Friday, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. "I think whenever the guys are able to see me come out here and stretch with them it keeps the engine rolling with the whole team. It is important. The one day I did miss, I was just dropping the kids off at the pool. Besides that, I'm out here every day, dawg." This raises more questions about Hill's relationship with the Dolphins. Does he want to stay in Miami? And how long is the team willing to put up with his antics? At the start of training camp in July, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said Hill must regain trust in the locker room. The eight-time Pro Bowler hinted he wanted a trade after the 2024 season, creating tension with the club. While both parties want to make amends, it seems they still have problems, which may carry over into the regular season.
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!