Titans Training Camp Notebook: Calvin Ridley on how Cam Ward is different, new era hard launches in Nashville
The biggest takeaways from Training Camp practice #1
The first day of Titans training camp practice is in the books! Players, coaches, executives, media, and fans were all in attendance for what was a packed house at St. Thomas Sports Park Wednesday. As for sweeping takeaways from the actual football practice itself, well… there weren't many.
As Cam Ward described it at the podium afterwards, the practice was "mid". I'd lovingly call it really easing into things. And in all seriousness, that's clearly what they were doing. This was akin to an OTA's practice. Guys weren't in pads (that comes next week) and were shaking the summer rust off. Have to start somewhere, right?
But that doesn't mean there weren't some interesting storylines to come from the day anyways. We spoke with Head Coach Brian Callahan, Cam Ward, and Jeffery Simmons at the podium. And we also got a chance to speak with players coming off the field, including Calvin Ridley who spoke on his new QB. Here are three big topics from the day:
Calvin Ridley Explains Why Cam Ward Is Different
In a social video of get-to-know-you Jenga the Titans put out last week, Cam Ward described himself as "Calvin Ridley's sidekick". So we caught up with this superhero in question after practice today.
Ridley had all good things to say, especially when it came to his experience with Cam Ward so far. When asked what makes him special as a young quarterback, the answer seemed like a no-brainer for him:
“Yeah, it’s his timing. His timing is up to date, I think, and I’ve been saying that. His timing’s up to date, he whips it, he’s confident, and it’s smooth. It’s an easy catch of the ball.”
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When asked if he thinks Ward's timing is uncommon for a player of his age, Ridley certainly thought so.
“Yeah, yeah, definitely. He’s a rookie, a young rookie, and he knows how to throw the ball on time… I’m just giving him confidence, being in the right spots, catching all the passes no matter where he throws them. And just communicating, watching them at the practice and stuff, and we’re locking in. We’re here now, and we’re not leaving.”
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These two already had an impressive on-field connection earlier in the summer, which is something Ridley struggled to establish last offseason with his QBs. It's going to be a lot of fun to see them continue to refine their connection for the next month or so.
The Titans Are Using Cam Ward As A Franchise Reset
This isn't exactly brand new information, as signs of it have been creeping into frame ever since the Titans drafted Cam in April. But Wednesday's first practice back, set up for fans in a way I've never seen, really drove the point home.
Things are just different around here. Of course, the roster is largely different from what it was even a year or two ago. We've spent all offseason talking about the youth movement this team is undergoing, with many of the most pivotal or highest ceiling guys on the roster being in their first or second years as a pro. That part of this is already well underway, lead by the likes of Cam Ward of course, Elic Ayomanor who does nothing but continue to confirm my high-bar priors, Chimere Dike who isn't far behind him, and then Year 2 guys like Latham, Sweat, and Brownlee. These fellas are the future of the two-tone blue.
But the reset is deeper than that. This organization is clearly taking this opportunity, emboldened by Cam Ward as their catalyst, to reframe the perception of them and change the way that things are done. You see it in the small things, like the emphasis on the light blue in their color scheme, both in making it their new primary jersey as well as utilizing it across all forward-facing elements of the team.
But then you arrive for practice with the place tricked-out for the fans, and the point is really hammered home. The Titans are working hard to be seen differently. From a big signage rig out front to welcome fans to the grounds, to free ice cream from a food truck, to a portable LCD video board replaying practice plays in real time. There were little things set up all over the facility that enhanced the fan experience in a way that the old way (setting up ropes and saying come on in, no filming please) never attempted to do.
Number One Pick Tuning Out The Noise
This last one is just a fun little quote from Cam Ward that I'll probably do some more digging on for a bigger article in the future. But if you've ever wondered how Cam handles all the noise, all the distractions, and most of all, the weight of the expectations on his shoulders right now… well, he told us today.
“I put my phone on DND (Do Not Disturb), wake up, watch film. I talk to like five people a day, besides my teammates. I only talk to the parents, and then my dog, that’s really it. So I just be chilling, go home, and I don’t really do too much. Eat and go to sleep. And I think the biggest thing, whether you’re in college or in the NFL, is you’ve just got to have a routine. I’ve had a routine for a couple years now, and it’s been helping me since.”
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Cam's dog is a rottweiler named Uno, in case you were wondering who exactly he confides in these days. But how cool an answer is that from a decidedly cool guy? And I don't mean cool in the sense that he's popular or likeable, though he is those things too. I mean cool in the sense that he's always calm and in control. He's as steady as they come, or at least he has been so far. I'm still not sure there's anything that knocks this guy off his mark mentally. I'll keep looking for something to finally do it…
