Titans QB Cam Ward on first days of OTAs: Throws have to be on time 'a lot more'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At the Titans’ open OTA practice on Wednesday, Cam Ward set the tone for 7-on-7 action on his first dropback. The No. 1 overall pick threaded a pass to fourth-round rookie tight end Gunnar Helm between the hashes, through a handful of defenders, for the pretty completion. 

Middle-of-the-field success in tight windows was a theme for Ward in the drill, where he completed 8-of-10 passes. His bullet-like throws seemed to have touch. What worked for him is important to note because of what happened at Tennessee’s first OTA on Tuesday.

At that practice, which was closed to the media, Ward attempted a tight-window throw that didn’t work. 

"I’m sure in college, that ball was open and got completed," offensive coordinator Nick Holz said. "[On Tuesday], different result. And he’s kind of like, ‘Well, I used to do this and that.’ [Then he] sits in the meetings, sees the speed of the game, how quick those windows are. There’s differences. 

"It’s the second day against actual people, but today was better than [Tuesday]," Holz added. "Obviously, it was one day, and we’ll take that progress." 

Ward acknowledged that he’s acclimating to differences in field spacing and the speed of defenses at the NFL level. With Tennessee in the third phase of the offseason program, Wednesday marked the first look at the former Miami star on the field with his veteran teammates and against a live defense (albeit without pads). 

Ward said his biggest transition to this point has been adjusting to the hash marks. At the NFL level, they’re 70 feet and nine inches from the sidelines, compared to just 60 feet from the boundary in the college game. Defenses can better disguise their coverages. 

Passes have to be on time "a lot more" in