Cam Ward had a rough start to the padded practice portion of training camp. The young quarterback finished the day with two interceptions after attempting several aggressive throws that resulted in questionable decisions.
Following the practice, head coach Robert Saleh shared his thoughts on Ward's interceptions and broke down what he saw from the young quarterback.
Robert Saleh Explains Cam Ward's Two Interceptions at Titans Camp
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"Yeah, I don't want to say that they are non-negotiable, but throwing across your body, especially shallow, it would be different if you were really extending the pocket and it opens up for you, but there's so much traffic in there. The one that Jermaine (Johnson II) made (interception) was an elite play. You know, that's your checkdown with regard to your boot. Jermaine made a hell of a play, but usually that checkdown—you can count on it being open. The first one that (Amani) Hooker intercepted probably was a poor decision," Saleh said in his press conference on Monday.
Following his initial response, Saleh was asked about times in the past when Ward has made the cross-body passes down the field.
"He can make the across-the-field throw; he's shown it. If we go back and watch, there's a difference between across-the-field when there is a one-on-one and across-the-field in traffic. You know, so it's just differentiating the two. Like I said, the one that Jermaine chopped it up was an unbelievable play, but the first one he had better options," Saleh said.
Why Cam Ward Doesn't Need to Play Superman for the Titans
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Saleh's response is exactly what fans should want to hear. At this stage in Ward's development, the young quarterback doesn't need to play Superman. Instead, they would rather see him throw the ball away than force a nearly impossible pass downfield. Protecting the football will be a priority this season, especially after the Titans front office has invested heavily in surrounding Ward with more talent.
This doesn't mean Ward needs to completely eliminate his aggressiveness or avoid every cross-body throw. He simply needs to improve his ability to recognize which opportunities are worth taking a chance on and which situations require him to make the smarter decision and live to play another down.
While fans will likely express concern following a multi-interception day, this should be viewed as more of a positive than a negative at the end of the day. Training camp is designed for players to improve and learn from their mistakes; this will be a valuable learning opportunity for the young quarterback, as he continues to become more comfortable making decisions on the fly and handling pressure situations compared to where he was just a season ago.
