The Tennessee Titans were looking for second-year quarterback Cam Ward to take a major leap in 2026, but the exact opposite has happened over the first month of the season.
Ward has been incredibly underwhelming so far this year. The Miami product has completed 63.2% of his passes for 896 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions, and hasn't led Tennessee's offense to consistent production.
Though he hasn't been given the best support from his coaches and teammates at times, Ward's struggles are mostly on him. As a result, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick officially hit rock bottom in the latest power rankings of NFL quarterbacks.
Cam Ward is Dead Last in Sports Illustrated NFL Quarterback Rankings
Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame released his power rankings of the NFL starting quarterbacks through five weeks, and Ward finished last. Ward was No. 25 in Verderame's preseason rankings, but fell seven spots after his lackluster start.
"The stats don’t do justice to how much Ward has struggled in Tennessee. Last week, he threw for only 70 yards over the first three quarters in a 26–3 loss to the Texans. He has yet to throw for 250 yards in a game. It’s been a disaster, and one that must have the Titans thinking about drafting his replacement in April," Verderame wrote.
Ward is still a developing signal-caller who could end up being the Titans' long-term solution at the most pivotal position in the sport. However, he's been awful this season and hasn't lived up to his top-pick status at all.
With Tennessee at 0-5 and on the road against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the next few weeks will be critical for Ward. If he can at least show growth and put the Titans in a position to be in competitive games, Ward will build a stronger argument to be the No. 1 quarterback in Nashville in 2027.
However, if the 24-year-old continues to turn the ball over and be a detriment to Tennessee's chances of winning, head coach Robert Saleh may begin thinking of playing Mitch Trubisky to provide his team with a possible spark. That scenario would also prompt uncomfortable conversations about Ward's future with the Titans just a year and a half after he was the first overall selection.
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