Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) walks off the field during minicamp at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

When Will Jaguars See Cam Ward Enter AFC South Battles?

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By John Shipley | Last updated Jul 6, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars have seen plenty of young quarterbacks join the AFC South in recent years.

In 2023, the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts both took a quarterback in the first-round with C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson, while the Tennessee Titans attempted to convince themselves Will Levis was the answer on Day 2.

Levis has since flamed out as a turnover-prone starter, leading to the Titans finishing as the worst team in football in 2024 and gifting them Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall.

The question for the Jaguars and the rest of the AFC South? When will the Titans give Ward the keys to enter the AFC South battle with Stroud, Trevor Lawrence and Richardson/Daniel Jones.

Ward should be the favorite to start for the Titans in Week 1 -- and the Jaguars do not play the Titans until the final quarter of the season, which means the odds of Ward starting by then should be close to a lock.

But the Titans have gone through the typical song and dance with Ward and the starting gig this offseason, and it is worth wondering for all three of the other AFC South teams when Ward will be under center for good.

Even those on the Titans' roster know that, while Ward is the favorite, there is still a battle to be had between the No. 1 pick and Levis, for some reason.

"Will's just not going to sit over here and say 'Oh, we drafted him, go ahead take it,'" Titans tackle and 2024 first-round pick JC Latham said on SiriusXM NFL.

"Cam's not gonna expect it to be just given to him. Throughout the spring, I think that's the one thing all the coaches and players on the team have seen. Both of them taking the challenge of trying to really earn the spot and really fight for the spot. It's made them better."

Ward will end up the season as the Titans' starter, but if the Titans do not go all-in on giving him the job, they might have a bumpier start to the 2025 season than they would otherwise. And if that happens, the Jaguars and the rest of the AFC South can benefit from more Levis snaps.