Three bold predictions for Cam Ward's rookie season with Titans

Drew Bishop

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Three bold predictions for Cam Ward's rookie season with Titans image

It's been a foregone conclusion for weeks that Cam Ward would go first overall to the Tennessee Titans.

Now that it's finally official, the work begins. 

The former Miami QB said he's "ready to get to work with his teammates."

Coming off a year where the Titans were the league's worst team, expectations won't be sky high, but what could the ceiling be in Ward's rookie season? 

If all goes well, Titans fans could be in for a treat.

Cam Ward throws for 4,000 yards

In his senior season at Miami, Ward was a gunslinger. He threw for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns. 

The NFL will be a big adjustment, but Ward has the tools to be one of the highest-volume passers in the league this year. 

Here's a look at his wide receivers:

  • Calvin Ridley
  • Tyler Lockett
  • Treylon Burks
  • Elic Ayomanor (rookie) 
  • Chig Okonkwo

It's not a star-studded cast, but Ward has a couple reliable veterans in Ridley and Lockett in tandem with promising young threats like Burks and Ayomanor.

Tennessee ranked 19th in the NFL in rushing last season and they'll be dependent on their pass game again this year.

The Titans could also be trailing in a lot of their games. If they go down 10 or more early, that game script will force Ward to throw more. 

Last season, Bo Nix had the most passing for a rookie with 3,775 yards. Joe Burrow, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, Lamar Jackson, Jared Goff, and Baker Mayfield all surpassed 4,000 yards passing. 

The Titans will win the AFC South

Ward will have the advantage of entering a very weak division.

The Houston Texans were the only team with a winning record last season at 10-7. The Titans were 3-14 and brought up the rear along with the 4-13 Jaguars. 

The AFC South was the worst division in the NFL last year with a winning percentage of .534. 

The quarterback play is suspect at best. CJ Stroud of the Texans is regarded as the best in the division, but between Anthony Richardson and Trevor Lawrence, Ward will have a chance to quickly rise the ranks. 

According to Pro Football Network, the Titans rank 31st in strength of schedule. They'll be given every chance to have success in Ward's first year.

Cam Ward will make the Pro Bowl

This could be an uphill battle as Ward plays in the AFC, which is filled with talents like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Lamar Jackson.

There are only three spots for each conference in the Pro Bowl, which means Ward would have to beat out a lot of great gunslingers.

Lucky for the rookie, there are plenty of drop-outs leading up to the event. A lot of those big names will make deep playoff runs and withdraw from the game. 

However, Ward is probably aiming his sights on a postseason run himself. 

If he doesn't make it there, the Pro Bowl could be a good consolation.

Drew Bishop

Drew Bishop is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. After graduating from the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University, he worked in local media in Sandusky, Ohio at BCSN and the Sandusky Register, freelancing as a reporter, broadcast director and play-by-play commentator for high school sports. He then moved on to KRIS 6 News where he serves as a producer in the news department.