NFL Exec Says 'Gifted Thrower' Cam Ward Has 'Tough Time Reading Defenses vs. Pressure'

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward may face a difficult adjustment as he learns how to attack opposing defenses.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Turron Davenport cited an NFL team executive who called Ward a "very gifted thrower" but said the No. 1 overall pick "has a tough time reading defenses vs. pressure." The exec also said Ward "likes to hold the ball."

Bleacher Report NFL scout Dame Parson made similar critiques in his scouting report of Ward. He said the former Miami star "will read the pre-snap defensive formation and believe it will be their post-snap coverage shell." Parson also said Ward would play "hero ball" and take unnecessary risks that get punished more in the pros.

Fowler and Davenport said NFL talent evaluators made a similar assessment of the Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams, though he's "widely considered the better passer" than Ward.

The Titans have given their young quarterback limited looks in the preseason. Through two games, he's 7-of-15 for 109 yards.

Ward will presumably be the Week 1 starter against the Denver Broncos, and Fowler and Davenport wrote how head coach Brian Callahan will "be consistent with Ward through triumph and turbulence, knowing both labels can be fleeting."

Expectations for the Titans as a whole are pretty low. They project to be one of the NFL's worst teams.

Having a strong supporting cast is certainly important for Ward's development on a broad level. For now, it's good that he's in a situation where he'll be able to work through his issues on the field without a ton of pressure to win right now.