NASHVILLE — Cam Ward needs steady improvement as the Tennessee Titans’ starting quarterback. NFL analyst Greg Cosell has pinpointed exactly the areas where Ward must make strides for this Titans season to be considered a success.

There have been two recent instances where Ward has been pressed about his level of play. 

The level of questioning about why Ward believes he is, in his words, a “very good quarterback” has been, admittedly, aggressive. With respect to Ward, they are fair questions to ask when there is significant evidence to suggest otherwise. 3-15 as a regular season starter is as much a reflection of the state of Ward’s surroundings as it is a reflection of his individual play.

Still, Cam Ward has not shown the kind of skill required to realize his potential as a No. 1 overall draft pick.

What is applicable is Cosell’s analysis from the Jets game, and specifically where we’re seeing Ward struggle.

Everything went wrong for the Titans in Week 1

When you watch that Week 1 game back, you understand that everything went wrong for Tennessee against the Jets.

The run game was inconsistent. The pass protection was adequate. That was not an overwhelming area of concern, but the pressure got to Ward early. After that, the offensive line settled down, but by then it was too little too late.

Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo said at practice that for his unit, they need to start faster for the quarterback to allow him to get more comfortable early on.

Ward is not playing well from the pocket. 

Much of the frenetic motion in his game has created inefficient habits. Ward, listed at 6-2, also seems to struggle seeing things clearly in the pocket. Against the Jets, Ward clearly did not trust his surroundings.

Cosell identifies 3 distinct areas where Ward falls short

Rather than dwelling on what went wrong, Cosell’s film analysis tells us exactly where Ward needs to improve. 

Three distinct areas from Cosell’s notes bore out as to where Ward falls short of being a viable NFL starting-caliber quarterback.

“Ward, as he grows in Daboll’s system, must continue to get a more refined feel for the timing of route combinations, when to let the concept develop and when to come off the primary read and work to the secondary read,” said Cosell. “It’s a balance that he is not yet comfortable with. There were times Ward rushed through his reads and other times he stayed too long on the primary and did not get to the secondary read with the needed timing and rhythm.

“Ward must also become firmer in squeezed pockets. Staying with his fundamental mechanics and maintaining a strong base with bodies around him. Pocket control is a mental, mental challenge for Ward because he has been under constant duress going back to his rookie season, that he is clearly anticipating and then perceiving pressure that is not there by NFL standards.”

Ward’s bad habits could determine his future

A lot of Cosell’s analysis is a product of a bad football team and the fact that the roster talent is still not sufficient.

The problem is there were moments in this game where the offensive line did play sufficiently, and Ward simply fell short. He is a bit scarred, understandably, from 55 sacks last year as a rookie. He also has to understand that a lot of those sacks are ones he created because of the unnecessary movement. That’s the way he’s always played and had success as a collegiate player. Now the thing that gave him success at the collegiate level is not viable in the NFL and has been rather easy to snuff out.

The Titans are not objectively a good football team, even though they have spent a considerable amount of money to address it.

They’ve had drafts to try and supplement the talent organically and regenerate this thing as best they can. Their results are not microwavable, even if they must be to keep the attention of a wholly apathetic fan base.

These are all red flag areas of concern Ward must improve on if he is to be indisputably the Titans’ starting quarterback for the rest of the season and into 2027.

Right now, that’s very much in question.