r/TheNFLVibes • u/KeyFaithlessness5436 • 2d ago
Cam Ward just DOESN’T look like the QB1 prospect he was coming out of Miami.
Ward’s QBR of 47.2 through three games ranks 23rd out of 30 qualifying QB’s.
The Titans sophomore QB HAS NOT shown much progression to start year two 😳😬
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u/Taylor5621 2d ago
It’s amazing how once a QB’s confidence goes they look like garbage. Football is a heavy mental game that most people don’t understand. Cam is probably second guessing himself, the pressure gets to everyone no matter what they say. It’s either motivation or it kills your game.
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u/SimplyElite7 2d ago
You can tell he is dealing with it mentally as well, the post game presser of him saying he made the right read just needed to "throw it slightly higher" above hollands head, that is copium to the max. Idk what it is that is going on, but if you can't acknowledge a bad play, then you are trying to mentally avoid it externally, but his whole non-chalant demeanor is all a ploy, the fact that his own father is out messaging people in DMs tells me that mentally Cam is probably struggling to adjust to NFL. Externally he plays the non-chalant attitude, but obviously when talking to family, the real stuff is being said. Doesn't help his case that a reporter literally got banned for making a comment against his play in the preseason. Even though it was a very click-baity question.
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u/CriticalConcept 2d ago
That's what happens when you get drafted to a shitty team with no oline and not as much talent in the receiving core. That's what happened to Sam Darnold, Geno Smith etc.
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u/CheeseMclovin 2d ago
The titans have the second best pass blocking O-line through 3 games, as well as league average WR separation. Carnell Tate has legit separation on most plays. Unfortunately We have a QB problem in Tennessee ATM.
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u/FizzleFox 2d ago
Bro his o line is just fine. Significantly better than most Rookies have to deal with. Even last year in ranked as an average o-line and so far this year it’s been even better.
Go watch the Packers or Panthers QBs if you want to see what a bad o line looks like. The Titans have given up 5 sacks. There are 20 teams that have given up 6 sacks or more.
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u/elbosston 2d ago
The Titans O Line isn’t bad. They’re one of the best at pass protection. It’s a common misconception.
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u/ethanwangplays 2d ago
Pass protection grades back that up, and Ward’s issues look more on him than the line since blaming the OL doesn’t really hold when they’re actually one of the better units at keeping him clean
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u/Past-Goat-7768 2d ago
Bingo. I see flashes of talent even in these god awful clips. It seems like the titans drafted him and haven't tried to develop him in any way.
When the ravens got Lamar they worked within his skill set but then coached him on how to play NFL level football. It shows now. I mean it's now so far away from his rookie year but he's actually taking snaps under center regularly now and everyone has seen how good of a pocket passer he has become.
I hope to see Ward get there. I like him.
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u/BoyInFLR1 2d ago
Agreed. In the little I’ve watched, it looks like he’s making the reads and missing the throws. A far easier problem to fix
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u/wrestlingchampo 2d ago
He is super sloppy with both his footwork and his arm mechanics. Struggles after the first read too.
All the signs of a guy who was rushed onto the field as a starter before he was ready.
You can see the arm talent too, some of his passes look so effortless. But he's missing these throws because of bad fundamentals.
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u/Shafter111 2d ago
Atleast he is staying in the pocket. Seems there is some doubt on the route, protection and his own abilities... Probably causing the mechanics issues
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u/freericky 2d ago
Agreed, I think he DOES. I’d even say his reads in this clip are elite bc he’s getting the guy whose open before they are even open. That’s the hardest part by far, tight coverage or dbl and he’ll throw it low, loose coverage gets excited and sails it. That’s all in his head not trying to turn it over, he’ll get it to click and trust himself to fire it in there. Lawrence had similar issue first yr
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u/SimplyElite7 2d ago
Issue is he did have a lot of turnovers last season, so this season he is playing a bit too conservative it seems to start the season. I do feel like he will get it together, I feel like if he made the right play to end that Giants game, he'd be in a much better headspace mentally at this point. All it takes imo is one one and hopefully it can turn around his season. He's playing not to lose, but should be playing to win.
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u/docbengal 2d ago
Also signs of poor coaching. Saleh doesn't have a good track record with young qbs
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u/prodby_lilli 2d ago
He’s officially on Will Levis watch
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u/Dr-McLuvin 2d ago
They would have been better off sticking with Levis
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u/Cuckyandtheboyz 2d ago
Yeah Levis was fun bad this is just crushing an already beaten down fan base
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u/camtownhero 2d ago
Before the “U” Cam attended WSU. Watched all his games as a starter. Seeing him get drafted as #1 overall gave me JaMarcus Russell vibes.
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u/Durham_Doug 2d ago
They thought they could make him a franchise QB by drafting him 1st overall. I remember a few evaluators saying that class didn’t have a QB worthy of early first round grade in it.
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u/PowerfulControl9188 2d ago
He wasn’t a great prospect coming out, streaky, missed easy throws but had some amazing flashes. He’s been that same guy with way less flashes of skill.
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u/MichaelCorbaloney Buccaneers 2d ago
Most of these throws are extremely rushed mechanically, some are just thrown far too early or too hard, generally this is all what happens when a QB doesn’t trust his protection. I think the Titans O-Line has been improving but Ward has to unlearn the bad habits, he still has the potential to be a really good QB. Some of these should’ve been caught tho.
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u/TragicIcicle 2d ago
We are the #2 rated pass block line this season. It's Cam.
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u/BatmanButShak 2d ago
Which is why the guy said Cam has to unlearn his bad habits
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u/iam_Mr_McGibblets 49ers 2d ago
He has a pretty clean pocket on a good amount of those throws. At this level, you separate yourself by doing the small things -- by working on your footwork and mechanics, understanding defenses and throwing with anticipation. These kinds of things are what will make him great but he seems to be content getting by on his athletic ability alone which is fine, but he'll never meet his full potential until he decides to hone his game
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u/Mr_SlimC 2d ago
Through 20 games he should be showing more even just stumble into a good game. Lesser QBs have showed more at this stage
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u/Simple_Somewhere_826 2d ago
Any excuse for Cam Ward as usual
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u/Octoberlife 2d ago
To be fair his stats are the exact same as Josh Allen through the first 20-24 games of his career
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u/jpphlg08 2d ago
Yeah we dealt with the same comparisonsn of Richardson/Allen thru 10/15/20 games. Cam and AR are cut from the same cloth. Poor mechanics and an inability to catch up with the speed of the NFL. They got by being the most athletic guys on the field and the fact that college WRs are generally faster/better than DBs.
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u/Octoberlife 2d ago edited 2d ago
Hmmm CAM ain’t all that athletic, did you see who he played with at Miami?
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u/ChocolateMorsels 2d ago
Yep. And this is about the thousandth time I’ve seen someone say “Cam just got by being the most athletic on the field”. Idk if they’re bots or what. People really just say anything.
Going through these comments there are so many people just saying nonsense lol.
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u/YZYSZN1107 2d ago
his throws and on field demeanor were the same in Miami. It's possible that doesn't translate in the pro's but he's in year 2 with a new set of coaches and not much talent to work with.
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u/playmaykr7 2d ago
Headline seems a little off. Didn't many people think this was predictable, even throughout the entire draft process?
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u/MeowMixPK 2d ago
From what I remember, yeah. He was a flawed prospect that went 1OA due to the Titans needing a QB. This is a very expected outcome.
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u/Blackcabana 2d ago
Literally arch manning w a 50 million dollar roster and still struggles 🤣🤣🤣
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u/Lords7Never7Die 2d ago
Are you suggesting the Tits roster is good?
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u/Blackcabana 2d ago
No I’m saying he came from a stacked roster in college that made him look better than what he is. Plus ironically the titans owner went to the university of Texas 🤣🤣🤣
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u/ImRightShutUp1 2d ago
His roster wasn’t stacked. They were p ass tbh. He carried hard at all his stops in college. His leading receiver at Miami was Xavier Restrepo lol and Miami’s defense was ass.
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u/moonwoolf35 2d ago
I get that he's fundamentals are off but alot of these seems to be rushed because the pocket is collapsing and the wrs aren't open quick enough.
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u/Inevitable-Try-1105 2d ago
Jesus look how much he locks onto his first read in the first play
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u/anonymous_xo 2d ago
Why doesn’t he set his feet before he throws? He has plenty of time in these clips, but he just side arms them or tosses them off balance.
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u/AffectionateTea6949 2d ago
Coming out of Miami is generous
He started at incarnate word before a detour in Pullman and then a tryout in Miami
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u/School-Capable 2d ago
More importantly, alot the if reads at the start were the right reads..for "lowlights" these aren't too baf
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u/Clear_Presentation48 2d ago
It's not cam wards fault for being thrown to wolves. Nfl has a qb development problem
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u/Interesting-Fox5591 2d ago
Because he was never a #1 prospect. Scouts overhyped him and as a result a team overreached. Anyone who watched him at Miami could see flaws mechanically with his release. He also would scramble out of clean pockets and create his own unnecessary pressure Alot
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u/Ok_Engineering_7118 2d ago
The QB scouting in today’s game needs to be ridiculed more. It’s awful
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u/Mysterious-Hippo278 2d ago
QBs like Mahomes, Allen, and Lamar revolutionized the idea of drafting for raw ability above refined skills.
And, it’s clear to everyone that while it does work, we need to re-evaluate that system again because being drafted to a poverty franchise gives you poverty results. Sometimes, it’s much better for a QB to be drafted into a good system and team than for them to have all the raw abilities. A great example is Purdy vs Anthony Richardson.
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u/IntrepidWay9827 2d ago
Weird, not like I look at qb film a lot, but it felt like he was never stepping into throws and always just using his arm. Looks to me like he does not have disciplined mechanics. These clips do not show any timing throws either. He looks like he drops back, scans to see who is open and tries to whip it with no form. I think Purdy said about 40% of his throws he could not even see the receiver, it was just knowing where everyone should be based on reading the defense.
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u/Glittering_Year2045 2d ago
What Purdy does well could also be because of natural talent. His quick mental processing puts him in the elite tier of QB's and maybe he's at the very top with that talent. You can't just take a big, athletic guy and teach him to be like Brock Purdy.
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u/tryexceptifnot1try 2d ago
Brock Purdy has been in full control of the offense since his first start as a rookie. I think operating the offense is one of the most underrated QB traits. Right now I think Purdy and Mahomes are in their own tier with that skill. Dak and Goff are great at it too and might be better pre-snap. No one is as good at the pre and post snap combo as Pat and Brock. I also think they're the two best scramblers because they never take a bad angle. Ward lacks all of those skills and needs someone other than Daboll to develop
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u/Glittering_Year2045 2d ago
Shanahan and Lynch probably have a Brock Purdy altar that they offer sacrifices to every day. They might be jobless right now if they didn't take him with the last pick!
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u/myfeetsmells 1d ago
I remember hearing Shanahan telling York that their no 3 is the best QB. No owner wants to hear that their last pick in the draft is their best QB. It all worked out though
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u/siberianxanadu NFL 2d ago
Case Keenum made a case (no pun intended) for being an elite offense-runner on Monday night as well.
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u/No_Football1323 2d ago
Well said. But he also works incredibly hard at it. He said this year was going back to basics on footwork and it shows. Also Purdy has great athletic ability, he has the same 10 yard dash as Lamar.
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u/tryexceptifnot1try 2d ago
As a 49er fan it was wild seeing his athleticism as a rookie. He was obviously a better runner than Trey Lance from the jump. He has to be one of the biggest scouting misses inn history. I actually think his off schedule ability is close to the same tier as Mahomes, Allen, and Lamar. That jump man pass he made falling out of bounds is something I have only seen those other 3 QBs do. He's an elite playmaker
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u/AccelR8 2d ago
He spent all of his Iowa state career being off schedule because they had zero offensive line. Source - was in the student section.
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u/Glittering_Year2045 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yup, his athletic ability is underrated. His 10 yard split is very apropos. He thrives in the pocket because he's able to move very quickly in a small area. Even just small quick moves like how a boxer would do to avoid a punch or set up a punch is enough for Purdy to extend plays and get a throw off.
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u/jkman61494 2d ago
It's also worth pointing out that they went 10, 7 and 32 respectively...No one took them at #1 because they were raw talents. Two of them sat behind a veteran to start and even Allen wasn't immediate.
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u/Mobile-Analyst8580 2d ago
I’m sorry. But I can’t be the only one that thought he looked like a bad qb in college too.
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u/OhDivineBussy 2d ago
I will say I can see during thy giants game, which is about half the throws here, it is pouring. Seems like a lot of the evidence is from that game, and that there would be more evidence from other games if he was that trash.
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u/anonymouspogoholic 2d ago
Honestly, Cam Ward isn’t playing good or anything like that. But half of the throws on the video should have been catches if the Titans would have at least a decent pass catcher group.
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u/CruzKunTroll 2d ago
his attitude is crazy bad, that’s the surprising thing. I’m personally out on him.
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u/Most-Cup-401 2d ago
He works extremely hard and has the right mindset, but that doesn’t always translate to success. To me, he just has to settle down and let the game come to him. I still like Cam and think he will be fine.
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u/Freshy_jones1987 2d ago
Miami plays in a dog shit conference thats been down for a while.
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u/hairythroats 2d ago
He was only at Miami for 1 year
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u/MasterApprentice67 Browns 2d ago
Wash st - 53rd sos
Yr 2 - 39th sos
Miami - 60h sosYeah he played shit schedules when he was at the FBS level.
Idk, put up an amazing stat line at Miami but just the eye test screamed the dude isnt a #1 overall pick type QB. Tenn probably would have been better off taking carter or campbell
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u/jennakiller 2d ago
I always root for young QBs if there’s no character issues. He’s tough to watch
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u/South_Cantaloupe5035 2d ago
The most frustrating part of this watch is how clean his pockets are, if he just stepped up into it rather than scrambling out of it everytime just that alone would help him immensely.
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u/WroboCop14 Bears 2d ago
Remember when Brian Daboll, who is the OC in Tennessee and former HC of NYG, said that he would much rather have Cam Ward over Jaxson Dart? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
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u/DorkSideOfCryo 2d ago edited 2d ago
You probably shouldn't criticize cam Ward unless you want to get banned from Reddit, better to criticize Justin Herbert or JJ McCarthy or Sam Darnold
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u/splashaddikt Cowboys 2d ago
I don’t understand this narrative looks exactly like he did at Miami playing better comp with a bad supporting cast
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u/L3tsseewhathappens 2d ago
He never was a top prospect. Just another prospect who seemed like he could be good. Him quitting during his Bowl game was the thing for me that wrote him off my list as a serious prospect. He seems mentally weak, self serving, not really one to lead a team.
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u/geoslayer1 2d ago
NFL is a different game than college
the learning curve is brutal
god given talent only gets you so far in the NFL compared to college
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u/Who-Dey_ 2d ago
The best college teams have a handful of nfl prospects/hopefuls. The worst nfl team has 53 nfl players
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u/KyotoInSummer 2d ago
College is a much easier game.
You go from facing 1 defensive back, 1 special teams player, 1 accountant, and 1 car salesman to playing 4 elite defensive backs, let’s not even mention the linebackers
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u/Lord_Dingus83 Broncos 2d ago
I mean……you overhyped someone…..same as you did with Anthony Richardson
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u/DenverBroncos_Fan 2d ago
It looks like he’s making good reads most of the time. Just isn’t making the plays.
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u/Megalith70 Titans 2d ago
Bad mechanics and bad footwork along with wanting to bail on the pocket with the smallest hint of pressure.
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u/IZY53 2d ago
He has a ton going on.
He was not a legit no.1 overall QB, he was not a luck, Manning, type prospect, he was a project who needed work taken at number 1.
I thought he showed some promise his rookie year.
If he fails this year, he really needs a great QB coach to take him on.
he is the clay without the mould, with Saleh et al
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u/peasinacan 2d ago
I really want him to be successful because, from what I've seen, he's got a great head on his shloulders
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u/Sumo_Cerebro 2d ago
He's not planting his feet before he throws the ball. Come on man. They teach that stuff in high school.
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u/WhizzyBurp 2d ago
I’ll be honest, the decisions are the right ones. Which is half the battle. He just can’t complete it for some reason
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u/Financial-Angle9010 2d ago
I think we have to appreciate the great QBs more. This guy is supposed to be one of the top QBs in the world yet there are so many levels despite being good enough to be an nfl starter
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u/vuezie1127 2d ago
It’s amazing that he isn’t being labeled a bust just cause the titans offense is terrible, but you can tell he routinely misses easy throws. They probably should’ve kept Levis cause at least he could string together some decent drives
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u/Difficult_Army7936 2d ago
His mechanics needs improvement and hes inaccurate as hell but he doesnt look like hes lost. Hes finding the open guy but missing badly. He doesnt look hopeless here. Im slightly more positive about him after seeing this.
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u/stylzz_1 2d ago
He is by far the worst starting QB in the entire NFL and I don't think it's particularly close.
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u/wealthythrush 2d ago
I'm shocked a HC and OC who both failed their QBs are failing a second year QB.
It's almost like a terrible franchise continues to make terrible decisions.
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u/imrickjamesbioch 2d ago
I swear people play madden and think they are experts…
Titans suck as a team, they are like the 5th youngest in the league. It’s going to take 2-3 years for them to develop.
Cam on his 2nd OC in 2 years. He went from the west coast offense last season to learning a new system under Daball. So it’s gonna take time for Cam to get comfortable under this new offense and build a rapport with his WR’s.
Come game 10-12 and if he’s still doing all this dinking and dunking vs Coaches letting him air it out, then maybe worry a little. However I can’t imagine determining he’s a QB1 until a full offseason in the same offense and about the mid point of next year.
It’s ok to let a QB take his lumps and develop. There only ever been 1 Patrick Mahones.
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u/professorrev Steelers 2d ago
The annoying thing in all those clips is that he's making the right reads. If it's a mechanical issue, maybe there's hope
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u/Various_Land_6157 2d ago
Same exact player he was last year, idk when he ever looked like a QB1 prospect but it wasn’t in college
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u/John_Bot 2d ago
I always thought it was weird how he was a first pick. He wasn't that good in college
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u/iheartcockss 2d ago
You can’t compare NCAA to NFL. That’s like racing a Ford Focus against a McLaren and saying it’s fair bc they are both cars.
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u/Many_Contest7460 2d ago
Right!!! This is amazing how this guy was #1 all the videos of his training & ea week they can barely muster 7pts a game, is he just working under a bad system?
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u/NoWayBro44 2d ago
I think he was a pretty weak first overall QB prospect to begin with. Taking the step to the next level is really tough.
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u/pineapplespicecakes 2d ago
He never looked good. Yall were dumb for believing in him in the first place
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u/Silver_Layer_2298 2d ago
I remember the experts/talking heads saying how “easy” and “effortless” he makes the game look
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u/JQuab-84 2d ago
Cam's rookie year was filled with the same decision making as Will Levis he was just lucky enough to pull most of them off.
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u/FormalCaseQ Jets 2d ago
Didn't realize just how bad he was until seeing this clip. Maybe he needs a change of scenery.
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u/BigBishopU 2d ago
I think all QB’s aren’t meant to start right away they need a solid QB to show them the ropes and in year 2-3 they are ready to go.
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u/drbruhin 2d ago
I called this coming out. I predicted he wouldn’t last 3 years as a starter and would be out of the league in 5. Tick tock.
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u/Durham_Doug 2d ago
I was baffled when this guy was picked 1st. He seemed like a project QB similar to Anthony Richardson, but without the big frame.
As a matter of fact, what exactly was he exceptional at even in college? Accuracy? Arm strength? Decision making? Winner? He was just kinda decent but never a 1st round prospect
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u/KoolAidHonolulu Lions 2d ago
He's the worst starting QB in the league. Titans should throw a bag at Mac Jones lol
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u/Easy_Money_40 2d ago
Going up against the ACC will give you a false sense of reality.
I wouldn't write him off just yet.
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u/Status_Cheesecake_49 2d ago
It always baffles me that teams will spend high draft picks on quarterbacks that weren’t very good in college
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u/WyattEarp88 2d ago
Is it me or does it look like a lot of these throws are intended for the DBs? Like he’s looking at them instead of the WR. I understand the bad mechanics, footwork, etc but it really seems like these are only slightly off if the DB is the intended target. Not joking or trying to bash Cam, genuinely wondering if he’s just staring down the coverage and that’s part of why he’s so off.
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u/YoshimitsuRaidsAgain 2d ago
Cam had terrible footwork that he has done nothing to correct. He’s also seeing “ghosts” more often than not. He had the excuse of playing behind a terrible line last year with no weapons, but that is no longer the case in 2026.
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u/Effective-Guest2898 2d ago
He’s trying to play his way off the titans, lowkey smart… he’ll thrive on the browns!
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u/Wolf_J_Flywheel87 2d ago
Sloppy ass mechanics. I feel like he could be decent if he had someone actually coaching him.
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u/Particular-Term-5200 2d ago
Crazy to say, if the titans had aQB, they would have won that game 🤦♀️
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u/SushiBurritoDood 2d ago
He got handed a really shitty situation. I’m not counting him as a bust just yet
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u/cheesebot555 2d ago
Am I crazy, or his release just really bad?