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4 hours ago
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Tennessee Titans training camp observations Day 2: First skirmish, amazing Jeffery Simmons stat
Because there's always such an elevated intrigue in what kind of fights break out during training camp practices, let's begin this report by describing the first skirmish of Tennessee Titans training camp 2025. Receiver Mason Kinsey and rookie cornerback Marcus Harris went to the ground after a run play in a team period toward the end of practice. They scuffled for maybe two seconds. Two seconds at most. No one else got involved. Then both players popped up, jogged off and went their own ways. Oooh. Drama! "It was just hard practice," Harris told The Tennessean afterwards with a smile. Now let's get to some observations from Day 2 of Tennessee Titans training camp on July 24. ESTES: This Tennessee Titans season is about to be real bad, isn't it? The big takeaway: This wasn't the offense's day Rookie quarterback Cam Ward wasn't necessarily bad in this practice, but it's a lot easier to find moments that stand out in a negative way than a positive way. Credit for a lot of that belongs to the defense, which did a good job of pressuring Ward, especially on rollouts, and keeping receivers in front of them. Linebacker Cody Barton made two of the most impressive plays in 7-on-7 periods. He intercepted Ward on the first play of the session, and broke downhill to deflect a pass a few plays later, reading Ward's pre-snap adjustments and taking away a completion with quick instincts. Other pass breakups came from rookies Jermari Harris and Kevin Winston Jr, while edge defenders like Dre'Mont Jones and Femi Oladejo contested some passes in Ward's face on plays that likely would've ended with sacks in live action. On one of those would-be sack plays, Ward continued through and heaved downfield to receiver Calvin Ridley, and even that pass was batted away by safety Xavier Woods. Rookie of the day: Kevin Winston Jr. Winston is an interesting player to monitor. He missed the on-field portions of minicamp and OTAs as he continued to work back from an ACL injury sustained last fall. Now the third-round pick is playing, and he's showing some of the traits that made him a third-round pick despite missing most of his final college season. Case in point? Winston came up with an interception against quarterback Brandon Allen in 7-on-7s. Or, more accurately, Winston ripped a ball out of tight end Josh Whyle's hands even though Whyle had two hands on the ball and got to it while Winston was still three or four yards away. Winston's closing speed and his tenacious instincts helped him continue through the play and end up with the ball instead of Whyle for yet another defensive takeaway. "On that one I was really reading off the quarterback's shoulders," Winston said after practice. "I look to the receiver and saw him. He was right there. I was kind of hesitant on (colliding) with my guy with no pads on, but I'd seen the ball available and I decided to go take it. That's a natural instinct. If the ball is available, we want to go get it." Titans position battles and stray observations The logjam for reps at the bottom of the receiver depth chart isn't breaking up. Rookie Xavier Restrepo may have fallen a little bit further behind some of the older players as compared against OTAs and minicamp given his decreased production in 7-on-7s and team drills, but it's early enough in practice that it's hard to draw big conclusions. As such, one of the most active receivers down the depth chart in this practice was veteran James Proche II, who was targeted three times with two catches. Marcus Harris is playing an elevated role as compared to summer practices, something he credits to spending more time in his playbook and adjusting to the speed of the game. Something interesting: The Titans haven't practiced any live kicks or punts yet. Special teams periods have focused more on things like releases and downfield blocking. Something fascinating: Titans coach Brian Callahan said that defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons hit a top speed of 18.2 mph in the team's first training camp practice. For comparison: In 2024, NFL Next Gen Stats reported that star kick and punt returners KaVontae Turpin and Marvin Mims posted average top speeds around 16 mph on returns. Obviously average top speed isn't the same thing as peak speed, but, y'know, for Simmons to move that quickly at almost 300 pounds, pretty impressive. TENNESSEAN FAN SURVEY: Voice your opinion about the Tennessee Titans Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@ Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin' Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans training camp observations: Cam Ward, Cody Barton, first scuffle
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4 hours ago
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Cam Ward training camp stats Day 2: Play-by-play from Tennessee Titans practice Thursday
Day 2 of Tennessee Titans training camp wasn't a great one for rookie quarterback Cam Ward. As was the case on Day 1, Ward mostly stuck to quick checkdown throws and timing passes short of the sticks rather than testing his arm with deep shots and throws into tight windows. Unlike Day 1, Ward put the ball in danger a little bit more often on July 24. He threw his first interception of training camp on the first play of 7-on-7s, firing a ball directly into the chest of linebacker Cody Barton. Barton also broke up a Ward pass by jumping a quick hitch later in 7-on-7s, continuing the edge Barton's had on Ward that dates back to OTAs and minicamp, when Barton picked off Ward twice. Ward was also under pressure fairly consistently, particularly on rollout plays when edge defenders such as Dre'Mont Jones and Femi Oladejo were able to get in his face and disrupt his timing. There were instances where Ward was able to counteract the Titans' defensive aggression; Ward found receiver Bryce Oliver practically uncovered in a team period by throwing to Oliver almost immediately after the snap before the coverage could twist toward the receiver. But otherwise, Day 2 wasn't a highlights haven. Ward finished either 9-for-15 or 9-for-16, depending on how you'd rule a play that might've been blown dead for a sack, with no passes that would've gone for touchdowns. Here's the play-by-play breakdown of Ward's day. ESTES: Forget stardom. Can Treylon Burks just be a productive Tennessee Titans receiver? Cam Ward stats: Tennessee Titans training camp play-by-play 7-on-7s: 1st-and-10: Ward is intercepted by Barton over the middle 2nd-and-5: Ward completes a hitch to receiver Elic Ayomanor 1st-and-10: Ward completes a crossing route to receiver Tyler Lockett 1st-and-10: Ward checks down to running back Tyjae Spears on a swing route 1st-and-10: Ward throws wide and off-target, missing Spears incomplete but away from defenders 2nd-and-8: Ward completes a crossing route to receiver Van Jefferson 1st-and-10: Ward hits receiver Chimere Dike on a comeback hitch over the middle 2nd-and-5: Ward checks at the line of scrimmage and throws short to tight end David Martin-Robinson, but Barton reads the play and breaks up the pass Final 7-on-7 stats: 5-for-8, one interception, one PBU 11-on-11 stats: 1st-and-10: Ward is forced out of the pocket and has to scramble to his right. He tries to dump off to Spears but the ball falls incomplete. 1st-and-10: Ward completes a swing pass to Lockett 1st-and-10: Ward attempts a screen pass but throws incomplete with Oladejo in pursuit 2nd-and-5: Ward finds Oliver open down the sideline before the coverage is able to adjust 1st-and-10: Ward throws incomplete to Martin-Robinson. Jones had a pressure on the play and could've possibly recorded a sack in live action. 2nd-and-5: Ward completes to Jefferson on a crossing route 2nd-and-5: Ward completes a quick out to Lockett 2nd-and-4: Ward is pressured and corralled in the pocket for what likely would've resulted in a sack. The play continued and Ward heaved deep to receiver Calvin Ridley who had four defenders around him. The ball got into Ridley's hands but was broken up by safety Xavier Woods. Final 11-on-11 stats: 4-for-8, one PBU TENNESSEAN FAN SURVEY: Share your opinion about the Titans heading into the 2025 season Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@ Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin' Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cam Ward: Titans training camp stats from NFL rookie QB on Day 2
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4 hours ago
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Tennessee Titans training camp observations Day 3: Cam Ward dazzles fans with best practice yet
Cam Ward treated Tennessee Titans fans to his most impressive show as a pro quarterback in a practice at Nissan Stadium on July 26, paying off some of the hype that surrounds him after coming to Nashville as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward's performance for the Titans was hardly perfect. He didn't execute on tight-window throws in the red zone and was picked off once trying to fit a ball over the middle with pressure in his face. But Ward let loose on several deep shots and connected on nearly all of them, much to the delight of the couple-hundred fans who were in attendance. Ward's big arm was on display from the first throw of 7-on-7s, when he threw deep to receiver Calvin Ridley with cornerback Roger McCreary in coverage and gained roughly 40 yards. Later in 7-on-7s, Ward made a nice throw on a deep outside route to receiver Bryce Oliver for a 30-yard gain. Overall, Ward finished 7-on-7s having completed seven of his eight passes with four big gainers. His one incompletion came on a play where his receiver fell down, but he also was helped by a diving catch Ridley made on a throw Ward put behind him. Success continued later in 11-on-11 drills. After an incompletion under pressure and the Williams interception, Ward settled in with a throw on the move to Van Jefferson followed by another completion to Ridley on a deep out. As the Titans went into a period simulating third-and-long situations, Ward's improvisational skills and timing skills were on display. On one play, Ward rolled left to avoid pressure, guiding receivers downfield before looking across his body and lofting a deep touchdown to Ridley, who had outrun McCreary without any safeties in range. And on two of the next three plays, Ward converted a third-and-long with a deep out to Jefferson, then a third-and-longer to receiver Tyler Lockett, fitting the ball through traffic and multiple defenders. The practice ended with Ward's underwhelming red zone performance rather than the high note of the third-down conversions, but the crowd was still impressed. Here are some more observations from the practice session. Player of the day: Calvin Ridley As much as Ward deserves some credit, Ridley looked like the No. 1 receiver the Titans need him to be. His first long hook-up with Ward came when Ridley had to come back to the ball on a slightly underthrown pass and fighting through McCreary's coverage. His diving catch required full extension going to the ground. And the speed he flashed on his long touchdown was vintage Ridley. Ridley often looked like the Titans' best player in training camp 2024, and he's still the team's highest-paid offensive player. But after a long offseason of discourse in 2024 about whether Ridley and former starter Will Levis would ever get in rhythm on their deep ball, seeing Ward taking steps toward figuring that out early is a big deal. Special teams highlighted by Joey Slye Kicker Joey Slye had maybe the highlight of the practice when he punched in a kick from more than 60 yards out that had enough distance underneath it to make it all the way to wall behind the goal post. There was a slight gust of wind right around the time of his kick that helped guide the ball, but hammering in a kick from beyond the logo on midfield is still an achievement. Elsewhere on special teams, the Titans fielded a few kickoffs for the first time in camp. Among the players receiving kicks were Chimere Dike, James Proche II, Jha'Quan Jackson, Tyjae Spears and Xavier Restrepo. The fanfare NFL Network was on hand, broadcasting live from the field at Nissan Stadium. And new Titans play-by-play voice Taylor Zarzour was on the mic for most of the practice, commentating alongside color analyst Dave McGinnis. Several Titans grabbed microphones and spoke directly to fans during breaks in practice, including Ward, Ridley and Jeffery Simmons. DAY 2 OBSERVATIONS: First skirmish, amazing Jeffery Simmons stat Position battles and stray observations Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and center Lloyd Cushenberry III, both of whom are on the physically unable to perform list, were at practice in street clothes watching their teammates. Sneed spoke briefly with The Tennessean about his recovery, saying he feels he's close but making no guarantees about returning as soon as next week. Dike had a fairly impressive performance among the rookies and was a frequent target of quarterbacks Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Fellow receiver Treylon Burks went inside to be evaluated for a shoulder injury after coming up grabbing in pain after laying out for a throw down the sideline. The pass rush was active. Had players been in full pads, at least two of Ward's long passes would've been altered by sacks, hurries or quarterback hits, and Ward on more than one occasion had to roll out or step up in the pocket to throw on the run. Without pads on, it's always difficult to judge whether moments like this have to do with the defense playing well or the offense playing poorly, but it is worth noting that the defense has pretty consistently done a good job of getting in Ward's face through the first three days of camp. Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@ Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin' Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans training camp observations: Cam Ward's deep ball highlights best day yet
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4 hours ago
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As Cam Ward, receivers build rapport, Tennessee Titans reminded 'nobody wants to suck' in 2025
The Tennessee Titans opened their practice to fans at Nissan Stadium, and what the crowd witnessed was perhaps rookie quarterback Cam Ward's most impressive performance yet in training camp. "(The fans) give it more energy and excitement," wide receiver Calvin Ridley said. "We want the city to know that we want to be good. They'll come. We're not doing what we did last year. We're taking a step forward." The Titans finished 3-14 last season and players haven't forgotten. "It's very personal," Ridley said. "We hear everything, see everything. We've got a bad taste in out mouth from last year. Nobody wants to suck, definitely not us, definitely not me." Ward showcased his deep-ball accuracy by finding Ridley multiple times downfield and connecting with Bryce Oliver for a 30-yard gain along the left sideline. "He spins it well, so it's easy to catch. It looks like it's coming out fast and it is coming out fast," receiver Elic Ayomanor said. Ward looked at home in his new surroundings, with fans in two-toned blue cheering him on from the stands. A big reason why he's comfortable is because of who he's throwing the ball to. "We're putting in the work," Ridley said. "The kid's good. I've got to be good. We sit and we study together and that's why it looks like that." There's a confidence about Ward. For a rookie quarterback expected to start the opener on Sept. 10 at the Denver Broncos, that's not easy. But that's just who Ward is. "That's Cam," receiver Chimere Dike said. "It's his demeanor. He doesn't get shaken. He just goes out there competes every down and makes great plays." With the first week of training camp over, the Titans have more work to get better and prepare for a season that is creeping up on them. "I think there's a lot of good things we did as an offense that we can keep building on," Dike said. And at the center of it all is No. 1, both in the draft and on the jersey. He's the one fans are watching. Ward is the point guard of the team, but the rest of his teammates also have to do their jobs to make Ward's role easier. ESTES: This was a fun Tennessee Titans fan day. Then Treylon Burks got hurt again They know it, too. "We know he's good," Ridley said. "He was the first pick. Now it's time to do what we do." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cam Ward, Titans receivers show confidence after 1 week of training camp
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Cam Ward Gives 'Mid' Assessment of Tennesse Titans During Training Camp
Cam Ward says the Titans' offense is 'very mid,' while former NBA star Gilbert Arenas is arrested for allegedly running an illegal gambling ring. #NBA #NFL #TennesseeTitans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit FOX News Radio
