Cam Ward is hearing it about his offseason accuracy. The Titans quarterback has had a couple of shaky practice sessions during minicamp, and the noise has gotten loud enough that head coach Robert Saleh felt the need to address it publicly this week.
Saleh’s response was simple. He said every quarterback misses throws and that fans should not panic over a few rough reps in June.
The numbers in question came from observers at multiple Titans practices. Ward reportedly struggled with deep ball placement during one full-pad session. He also had two practices where his completion percentage in 7-on-7 work was noticeably below his offseason average.
This is being treated as a story because Tennessee invested heavily in Ward as the future of the franchise. He was the No. 1 overall pick in 2025. The Titans went 3-14 in his rookie year as he absorbed the kind of beating young quarterbacks usually take behind a rebuilding offensive line.
Saleh is in his first year as Titans head coach. He inherited the Ward project. He has been complimentary of his young quarterback’s work ethic and ability to retain information. The Tuesday session that produced the most concern also produced two red zone touchdown throws, one to tight end Gunnar Helm and one to new receiver Wan’Dale Robinson.
Ward himself has acknowledged the accuracy work as a priority this offseason. He spent April and May at a private quarterback academy in Texas fine-tuning his footwork and lower body mechanics. The reports of better practices later in the week suggest the work is showing up.
The honest read is that Ward needs to improve. His rookie year completion percentage of 58 percent is not where it needs to be for him to take the next step. The Titans have surrounded him with a better receiver group, a healthier line, and a real offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll. The conditions are in place for a leap.
What Saleh is right about is the timeline. June practices are not a reliable indicator of September performance. Quarterbacks get sharper as training camp ramps up. The throws under live pressure in actual games are what matter.
The Titans have a tough schedule in 2026. They play in the AFC South, which features a tough Texans team and an improved Jaguars roster. Ward will have to win some games on the road in November and December. The work he is doing now matters.
The smart Tennessee fan understands this. Saleh is not minimizing the problem. He is contextualizing it. The accuracy issue is real. It is also fixable. It is also exactly what offseason practice is supposed to identify.
Ward will be fine. Saleh will be fine. The first regular season game is when the conversation actually starts.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
