Latest news with #Titans'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Titans' player under most pressure entering 2025 NFL season
The post Titans' player under most pressure entering 2025 NFL season appeared first on ClutchPoints. Maybe there's a Tennessee Titans battle for the quarterback position, or maybe it's just talk. Because Cam Ward is the guy this year. And that's why Ward is the Titans' player under the most pressure entering the 2025 season. Wait, you might say. He's just a rookie. But remember, this is the NFL. Careers often don't last all that long, even for quarterbacks. And if a quarterback has a bad season right out of the gates, recovery can be difficult. Just ask Ward's backup, Will Levis. He was a second-round pick in 2023. And after two middling seasons, he's already pretty much an afterthought in the Titans' plans. There are several reasons why Ward is under pressure. Titans QB Cam Ward must produce quickly First, Titans fans are getting a little antsy. The team won back-to-back double-digit games in 2020 and 2021. But they won seven in 2022, six in 2023, and only three in 2024. That's the wrong direction. And Ward comes in as the No. 1 overall pick. He won't get a chance to develop slowly. Need proof? Just look at last season. Bears QB Caleb Williams threw for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. But the Bears posted a record of 5-12, and some people are already writing off Williams. That could happen to Ward, too. However, one good thing is Ward has his teammates standing up for him already, according to Good Morning Football via 'First off, I think that our team — the Tennessee Titans — never get the respect and attention we need,' defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said. 'I've never seen the No. 1 pick overall never get the respect. And, quite frankly, the attention that he deserves.' The Titans are hopeful Ward can bring security to the position and give the team a hope for a strong future. 'I think that's a chip on his shoulder,' Simmons said. 'You could tell by the way he goes about his business — his swagger, his demeanor — this gonna be one of the ones that I'm excited to see. I'm excited to get back to camp next week to be more around him and learn a little more about him.' Practice results good for QB Cam Ward Ward showed something in practice, according to 'It was after a play, we stopped him, and I think I ended up getting a sack,' Simmons recalled. 'All of the sudden, we're talking smack and Cally (head coach Brian Callahan) is giving him the dang play and I'm still talking smack to him, I'm jawing because that's my game. I want to talk smack, I want to get in your head. 'It didn't faze him. He's still talking smack while Cally's getting the play to him. He's giving the play to the offense, still talking smack to me. The next play after the smack talk, he threw an 80-yard bomb to Calvin Ridley. So, that right there showed me we got us one. He's legit.' Ward is already gaining the confidence of his offensive lineman, too, according to 'I think he's a great player and a great pick for the team,' tackle J.C. Latham said. 'He has an immense amount of talent, shows up every day ready to work with the right attitude to hold himself accountable, and holds himself to a standard that a lot of people can learn from.' And left tackle Dan Moore Jr. said he feels the swagger of Ward. 'Whenever he's talking, he has a sense of confidence that guys can feel,' Moore said. 'And I sense that we'll be able to feed off of energy from him. One of the hardest things for a quarterback is just getting a grasp of the huddle. And fluidly say the play and remember the play to get command of the huddle as well. I feel like [Ward] has that.' Brian Callahan says Cam Ward is putting in effort Head coach Brian Callahan said Ward is working hard to make an impact this season. 'I think he's done a good job so far,' Callahan said. 'Cam understands how to interact with them. He's played enough quarterback to understand how important those guys are and what those relationships mean.' As for Ward's viewpoint, he said he's learning as he goes. He said he's leaning on the things he knows how to do already. 'I would say just the biggest thing I do is just talk to them,' Ward said. 'Whether it's in the locker room or when we get a chance to meet up outside the facility. Not everything got to be about football. But when we walk into the building, we know it's all business.' Ward will get his first chance to show what he's got when the Titans open their season on the road against the Denver Broncos on Sept. 7.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Cardinals opponent Tennessee Titans lose QB Will Levis for season to shoulder surgery
Cam Ward is the Titans' new starting QB but their QB room is weaker. Perhaps it will impact their Week 5 game vs. AZ. The Arizona Cardinals will face the Tennessee Titans in Week 5 at State Farm Stadium. The Titans have some quarterback news, although it doesn't necessarily impact their game with the Cardinals. Quarterback Will Levis will undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the 2025 season. He injured his shoulder early last season and played through it. Some pain still lingered, although he participated in the offseason program, but has elected to get it taken care of surgically. Levis' starting job was lost to the No. 1 overall pick of this year's draft, Cam Ward, but this complicates things behind him should he get hurt or be ineffective. The two other quarterbacks on the Titans' roster behind Ward are Brandon Allen and Tom Boyle. Allen has 10 career starts and is 2-8 in those starts, one coming since 2021, while Boyle is 0-5 in his career as a starter. Losing Levis for the season weakens the Titans' quarterback room, meaning if Ward loses any time at all, they are not in a good situation. We will see if they bring in anyone else before the season. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee Titans training camp preview: Safeties
As we enter the final weekend before the Tennessee Titans report to training camp, all eyes are focused on outside linebacker Femi Oladejo and whether the second-round pick will sign his contract or hold out. Second-rounders have slowly started to come to terms, and Oladejo should be coming in soon. Although we have already covered edge players in our previews, the topic remains a hot one. Today, we continue our training camp preview series by breaking down the Titans' safeties. Like many positions on the roster, the Titans have added some pieces to the backend with a solid mix of rookies and veterans. A noticeable change will be evident when the team reports to camp on July 22. Here's a quick rundown of who and what to expect this summer. Coaching staff Dennard Wilson (defensive coordinator), Steve Jackson (secondary/safeties coach), Steve Donatell (assistant defensive backs coach) Wilson and Jackson return in 2025, aiming to improve the Titans' run defense, which struggled during their first season together in Nashville. Tennessee has added some pieces to the secondary with veteran Xavier Woods and rookie third-round pick Kevin Winston, but has a solid mix of experience and youth to work with once they hit camp. Strong safety Starter: Amani Hooker Reserves: Kevin Winston Jr., Mark Perry, Julius Wood Hooker returns to the fold and is the leader of the secondary. He is coming off an excellent season and is a consistent defender. The veteran defensive back is an underrated competitor and could be even better if the team around him stays healthy. Winston was drafted in the third round and has a chance to develop into an outstanding playmaker for the Titans' defense. An athletic safety with upside, had he been healthy in 2024, he likely would have gone higher in the draft. Winston will have to play catch-up after missing all of the field work during offseason activities as he recovers from the ACL injury that cost him most of the season. But all signs point to him being ready for camp. Perry and Wood will be fighting for a depth role or a spot on special teams. Free safety Starter: Xavier Woods Reserves: Mike Brown, Kendell Brooks Tennessee signed Woods as an unrestricted free agent to add an experienced presence to the defensive backfield. A consummate professional, the veteran defensive back has been a consistent playmaker throughout his career, bringing a diligent work ethic to the team. His leadership qualities could become a significant asset if things start to unfold as they did in 2024, when injuries ravaged the defense. Brown is coming off an uneven season where he flashed potential. If he can become more consistent, he should be a solid rotational piece. Brooks has an uphill climb, but he could work his way into the mix if he shows some special-teams value. Overall outlook The safety position should be one of the most consistent units on the defense, and enters training camp with most of the depth chart in place. Winston is a wildcard; if healthy, he has the skill set to push for playing time early in the season.
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL uniform rankings: How do the Titans stack up?
The NFL has strict policies on uniforms and each team must adhere to the guidelines or face repercussions. This year, the league updated some of those policies, allowing teams to wear alternate uniforms four times this season instead of three, and they changed the rule on mixing classic uniforms with alternate helmets. In addition, they announced that the AFC East and NFC West will wear new "Rivalries" jerseys in 2025, a collaboration between Nike and the NFL. The uniforms are said to be similar to the NBA's "City Edition" and the MLB's "City Connect" jerseys. Teams will be added in increments each year until 2028, so that every NFL team has a "Rivalries" jersey. The Tennessee Titans announced changes to their uniforms in 2025, making "Titans blue" the primary color on their home jerseys instead of navy. The Titans haven't made a ton of changes to their look over the last 25 years, but the players and fans seem to appreciate this update. Outside of Nashville, though, where do the Titans' jerseys stack up against the rest of the league? USA Today's Nate Davis analyzed and ranked each team's uniform, and the Titans dropped from their previous ranking. Previous ranking: 23Current ranking: 29While teams like the Panthers are something of a mess, the Titans seem to at least understand less is more – though even that's problematic to a degree. They wore seven combinations in 2024, most notably the glorious Houston Oilers throwbacks, but had several more permutations at their disposal. However the Oilers unis won't come out of the closet this season – yes, the Titans left Texas in 1997 and took their branding with them – and 'Titans Blue' will become the primary home color (instead of navy). The whole thing is probably moot given a major redesign seems to be coming in 2026. Considering that last month the Titans' uniforms were voted among the worst in the league, it's not overly surprising that they fell in Davis' rankings. While the players and fans seem to love this year's uniform, it sounds like a full redesign is right around the corner, so next year this ranking might be very different. The good news for the Titans is that it doesn't really matter what the uniforms look like. What matters is how they perform each Sunday for 17 weeks in the fall. Winning, fans might be more excited about what they are wearing, but losing? Fans don't care at that point. Losses suck, and they feel bad, and no one likes to lose, even if they look good. So, despite the lower ranking in what they will be wearing this fall, the Titans care more about their ranking on the field.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Pro Bowler weighs in on Tennessee Titans' Tony Pollard
With all of the questions facing the Tennessee Titans heading into training camp, running back is not one of them. The Titans' rushing attack was one of the most consistent facets of their game in 2024, and should be better this season with a better offensive line and, hopefully, more consistent quarterback play with Cam Ward. Both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears were solid and did their best to keep the offense afloat last season, and are looking for more production in 2025. Advertisement Pollard was a bright spot on offense in 2024, coming in as a free agent and rushing for over 1,000 yards. Sure, he wasn't Derrick Henry, but he did produce in less-than-ideal conditions. But how does Pollard stand up against his peers? Former Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew of broke down the starters across the league and came up with his running back rankings. Rank 23 - Tony Pollard Tennessee Titans · Year 7 2024 stats: 16 games | 260 att | 1,079 rush yds | 4.2 ypc | 5 rush TDs | 41 rec | 238 rec yds | 0 rec TDs | 2 fumbles lost Pollard was a bright spot last season for a Titans offense that seriously sputtered, recording his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaign. The veteran running back should again get ample opportunity to pound the rock under Brian Callahan, helping No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward settle in at quarterback. With the improvements made to the offensive line, Pollard could be in line for a more productive season in 2025. He looked healthy during OTAs and minicamp, and looked more explosive than he did in 2024. One thing that is worth keeping an eye on is his usage. Head coach Brian Callahan has spoken about keeping the running backs healthy and creating a more balanced workload between Pollard and Spears this season. Both Pollard and Spears battled some nagging injuries last season, and a more balanced approach could allow for more sustained production throughout the season. Another potential benefit could be the addition of rookie Kalel Mullings, who appears poised to take over the short-yardage carries. Advertisement Mullings is a bruiser, and the former linebacker can help save Pollard (or Spears) from taking a pounding with short-yardage carries. Coming in at No. 23 to start the season is a fair assessment entering training camp with all of the unknowns existing on the Titans' offense. If everything falls into place as expected, Pollard surpassing 1,000 yards for a fourth consecutive season should be well within reach, and he should easily outperform this ranking. This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Ex-Pro Bowler weighs in on Tennessee Titans' Tony Pollard
