NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- When Robert Saleh signed to become the next coach of the Tennessee Titans in January, one thing was clear: Cam Ward's development into a franchise quarterback was the key to his success.
There was optimism for Ward after he showed growth over the final six games of his rookie season last year, with 10 of his 15 touchdowns and only one of his seven interceptions coming over that stretch.
But Ward's season debut under Saleh on Sunday against the New York Jets wasn't what they imagined in the 23-10 loss, but Saleh is still confident in the Titans' plans to get the best out of the second-year quarterback.
"I thought he did a lot of good things in the game early that showed the progress that he's been making," Saleh said of Ward, who finished the game 19 of 32 passing for 140 yards and was sacked three times. "He had a rough game, but it's not all on him. There were opportunities where we've got to be better for him as a staff; his teammates have got to be better for him, and then obviously he's got to be better for his teammates with regards to delivering a football."
The Titans wanted to see improved pocket presence and accuracy from Ward as he entered his second season, but both issues surfaced Sunday.
"I'm sure there are times where Cam says he wishes he would have stood in there, just like there are times he feels he could gotten out," quarterback coach Shea Tierney said. "It's a feel thing. You just continue educating him and have him make the best decision. We do drills every day for that."
Ward missed throws to Wan'Dale Robinson on a screen and Tyjae Spears on a swing route. Rookie receiver Carnell Tate was wide open on a crossing route, but Ward was unable to find him either. Ward still believes he's a "very good quarterback." But he isn't running from the fact he needs to play better to prove it.
"I'm very critical of myself. I want to be a great player," Ward said. "That comes whether it's from myself or the coaching staff, it's what can I do to be the best I want to be and for the team for us to be the best. There are key plays that myself and the staff think that I helped, but there are plays where I could have helped even more. That means continuing to take coaching from myself and from [offensive coordinator Brian Daboll] and [Tierney] and getting back to the drawing board and making something happen."
The Titans staff believes Ward's improvement will come with more time on task. Allowing Ward to accumulate more practical experience will require patience the organization hasn't shown in the past. This is the same franchise that has fired a general manager or coach every year since 2022.
That patience is going to be tested considering the success of fellow second-year quarterbacks Tyler Shough, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year with the New Orleans Saints last season, and Jaxson Dart, who had three passing touchdowns in Giants' season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday night. Sure, they're in different situations, but it's natural for team ownership to get frustrated that quarterbacks selected after Ward have had a higher degree of statistical success.
Saleh is committed to allowing time for the process to carry out. He pointed out how Ward has had seven coordinators over the last seven years and stressed the importance of building a foundation for the young quarterback with stability around him. Despite Sunday's performance, Saleh is fully committed to Ward and feels the quarterback's growth is going to happen throughout the year.
"We're fully committed to Cam because we believe in him," Saleh told ESPN. "You've got to let these young men grow. You would hate to be on the other side of it where you give up on a young man, and he goes to another team, and he wins a Super Bowl. We believe he has the right mindset, and we're going to give him every opportunity to grow."
Saleh has seen this movie before. The Jets selected Zach Wilson with the second overall pick in the 2021 draft when he was the head coach. Wilson, like Ward, led his team to three wins as a rookie. The Jets gave Wilson two seasons to show he can develop into a franchise quarterback. His 18 interceptions to 15 touchdowns and 4,022 passing yards in 22 starts didn't cut it, so the Jets acquired future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in a trade with the Green Bay Packers.
Unlike when he was in New York, Saleh has a proven quarterback developer in Daboll, but the Ward and Daboll duo failed the first test in the opener.
When asked to assess the performance, Daboll refused to place all of the blame on Ward either.
"It takes all 11," Daboll said. "There's certainly plays that I wish I had back. I'm sure there's plays that Cam wishes he had back -- and the 10 other guys out there as well. So we got to do a better job with that. That starts with me."
The Titans have done a lot to create a launching pad for Ward. They selected Tate with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft. They signed Robinson in free agency. Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi also signed veteran quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to be Ward's backup and a veteran presence to help him grow.
Trubisky has experienced what Ward is going through, having been the No. 2 overall pick by the Chicago Bears in 2017. He spent four seasons in Chicago as a starter before signing with the Buffalo Bills as a backup, where he first played for Daboll.
Trubisky mentioned how this era is different than the old-school days when quarterbacks were given time to develop and grow into the franchise role. A highly-drafted quarterback is usually thrown into the fire and asked to produce right away. Trubisky's advice to Ward is to focus on what he can control and not lose sight of who he is.
"You've got to go back to what made you get drafted that high and know that you're a talented quarterback," Trubisky told ESPN. "Continue to believe in yourself and just know that it's a process. This is not an easy league. There are no easy games. There's going to be bumps along the way."
There were plenty of bumps for Ward and the Titans in the opener, where their lone touchdown came on their ninth and final drive trailing 23-3.
"I'm just continuing to try and get better," Ward said. "How can I get better from last Sunday to this Sunday? It's going to be a process."
Ward's next opportunity will come against last year's NFC East champions in the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX) at Nissan Stadium.
"I have great coaches around me who continue to push me to that level that I want to play at," Ward said. "And when the tide turns, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a different story."
