NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans hit the field in full pads for the first time in 2026 training camp on Monday, and the session taught us plenty about where this roster stands.

Some of the central observations surrounded Cam Ward’s arm talent and decision-making, an offensive line still searching for consistency, a rookie running back who turned heads, and a Jeffrey Simmons moment that might matter more than any single play. Tennessee’s first padded practice was as back-and-forth as any session of camp so far, with neither the offense nor the defense gaining a definitive upper hand.

For a team with this many new pieces and parts, that’s about what you’d expect. The energy and effort were high. So were the lessons.

Cam Ward’s crossbody throws remain a double-edged sword

I thought Cam had an up-and-down day. He threw two interceptions, both on crossbody throws. One was snagged by defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who dropped back into coverage after pressuring Ward. The other came on a read by safety Amani Hooker, who jumped a throw Ward shouldn’t have made.

Ward still made plays throughout practice. His arm talent, his ability to create from unstable platforms, and his playmaking instincts are all real. Those are the qualities that make Titans fans love him. They are also the kind of abilities that can make you think you’re better than you actually are. In the NFL, that backyard football mentality will more often than not cost you more than it helps you.

This is not a “sky is falling” conversation. Ward is going to throw interceptions in practice. He’s going to make mistakes. But it’s a situation to monitor. The crossbody throws get him in more trouble than they bail him out, and Monday reinforced that. There needs to be more progress in the direction of dirting the ball. His coaching staff will take the same lessons away from the tape: What happened here? What was available? Was it better to just throw it away?

He’ll get there. Today, though, this is what it looked like.

The offensive line is getting worked, and it may just be the reality

No matter what combination Tennessee threw out there, the offensive line struggled against the defensive front. The Titans rotated extensively, with tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dixon sliding to right tackle, Jackson Slater working at guard and center, and players like Cordell Volson, Pat Coogan, and Fernando Carmona were cycling through reps. The idea is to simulate injury scenarios and figure out which backups can be serviceable NFL players when called upon.

The results were mixed. Crenshaw-Dixon had a false start on one play, then delivered an excellent pass block on edge rusher Keldrick Faulk on the very next snap, giving Ward time to step up in the pocket and deliver a strike. Coogan needs to get his snaps down. Multiple high snaps put his quarterback in bad spots.

Part of the offensive line’s disadvantage is structural. You can’t play full-tilt 100% football against your own teammates. You have to be a good practice partner. The defensive line is going to be ahead of the offensive line in camp. That’s just how it works when your defensive front is anchored by the best player on the field.

Nick Singleton makes his presence felt

Rookie running back Nick Singleton, the fifth-round pick out of Penn State, got a healthy workload on Monday and took advantage of it. He showed versatility in the screen game, good contact balance, and patience behind the offensive line. He allowed the scheme to develop in front of him rather than forcing things.

Singleton and Tyjae Spears are in a legitimate competition for the third-down back role, and now that pads are on, that battle can play out at a higher level. Singleton appeared to receive a favorable snap count and got reps with multiple quarterbacks. These rotations will remain fluid, but the Titans clearly wanted to see different looks out of the Penn State product.

Wide receiver Elic Ayomanor continued to be a highlight of practice, making plays for multiple quarterbacks and showing physicality in pads. Wan’Dale Robinson put a shoulder into a defender’s chest in the run game. Calvin Ridley hauled in a contested catch on a bullet from Ward. Defensive back James Williams flashed with his length and improved eye discipline in coverage against the second team.

Jeffrey Simmons showed the kind of growth that matters most

The final observation is the most significant one.

Jeffrey Simmons and offensive tackle JC Latham got into it on what I believe was the first rep of the first 11-on-11 team drill. There was jawing, pulling, and time needed to separate them, but nobody swung. No punches, no helmets involved.

I’ve been here before. In 2023, on the first day in full pads during Brian Callahan’s first training camp, Simmons and Latham got into it. I tweeted that Jeff was sloppy and needed to lock in. He swung on Latham, wasn’t kicked out of practice, then started another fight in a pile the very next play. His emotions took over.

What I saw today was something different. After the jawing ended, Simmons finished the entire practice without losing control. There were moments when he was in a pile on the ground and didn’t freak out and take his anger out on whoever lined up across from him on the next snap. He played incredibly in control.

Simmons is the best player on the field right now. It’s not even a question. He’s faster and stronger than you think he is, even when you already know how fast and strong he is. But the version of Simmons who plays with controlled rage rather than uncontrolled emotion is a different caliber of player entirely. I think most Titans fans would tell you Jeff is good for a couple of personal fouls, unnecessary roughness penalties, or similar infractions every month. He plays with great effort and great rage. The Titans need the effort without the penalties.

To whom much is given, much is expected. Simmons has more talent than anybody on the field. He’s being asked to do more than anybody and held to a higher standard than everybody. Today, he handled that incredibly well. In previous years, he would have gone red, steamrolled somebody, or done something that felt out of control.

Jeffrey Simmons playing with controlled rage is the kind of growth that can elevate him to a completely different level — particularly in a defense built to maximize everything he does well. That might be the most important thing we learned on the first day in full pads.