Two days earlier than the Tennessee Titans performed their preseason finale, Cam Ward threw at Carnell Tate 12 instances in a joint apply with the Chicago Bears and accomplished seven of them, together with two touchdowns. None present up within the field rating. Clay Travis went on the Titans on X on Sunday utilizing the numbers that do.
“I am undecided I’ve ever been much less within the Titans earlier than the season even began,” Travis wrote. “Cam Ward appears terrible. Carnell Tate performed your entire preseason and did not have a catch. What purpose for optimism, not together with the brand new stadium subsequent yr, is there?”
Cam Ward Says “Each Recreation Has Acquired Higher” (Picture Through Instagram/@camward)
Ward accomplished 5 of 12 passes for 57 yards towards San Francisco on August 13 and eight of 12 for 69 yards towards Seattle on August 23. Tate, the fourth total decide, completed the preseason with out catching any of the six passes thrown his method throughout three video games.
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Robert Saleh rested most of his starters for Saturday’s 24-15 loss to the Bears, and Ward was one of many gamers who didn’t costume. Tate performed, and his solely goal got here from Will Levis on the opening drive. The rookie’s zero got here throughout three totally different quarterbacks, with roughly 35 snaps of first-team work unfold over the primary two video games.
What the Titans even have going for them
The individuals watching Tate day-after-day have been saying the identical factor for 2 weeks. Receivers coach Greg Lewis challenged him to play with extra pressure, “each single day, on each single rep, in each single alternative, whether or not it is a drill, assembly or any recreation scenario,” and nonetheless described what he sees beneath the quiet stretch.
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“He is acquired a canine mentality,” Lewis mentioned of Tate.
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was requested concerning the manufacturing on Tuesday.
“I’ve a large amount of confidence in Tate and the way he goes about his enterprise, what he does on the apply subject,” Daboll mentioned. “Look, I believe all people would like to have 15 catches. However he is doing the appropriate stuff. He is in an excellent headspace.”
Ward’s reply went additional than a vote of confidence.
“He desires the ball,” Ward mentioned mentioned of Tate. “So when it comes his method, he is pressing to it. He goes up and excessive factors it. He is been nice and should not have the splash performs as of late, however he’ll be a key purpose why we’ve success on offense.”
Tennessee Titans vast receiver Carnell Tate (14) fields questions from the media on the primary day of necessary minicamp at Vanderbilt Well being Soccer Middle, Tenn., Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
At Ohio State final season, Tate averaged 13.1 yards per goal, which led all receivers on this rookie class, and three.06 yards per route run, third within the class. Over 39 school video games he caught 75 p.c of what got here his method.
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Daboll is in Nashville due to Ward. He developed Josh Allen by means of the identical stage in Buffalo, when the questions have been about accuracy and down-to-down selections. Tennessee additionally gave Wan’Dale Robinson a four-year, $70 million contract and used the fourth total decide on a receiver, which is some huge cash and draft capital pointed at one downside.
Ward arrived as the primary total decide in 2025 and began as a rookie for a workforce that has since modified head coaches. Two appearances towards backup defenses this month are skinny proof about him in both path, which is the difficulty with the panic and the reassurance alike.
The put up ‘Ever been much less ‘: Is Clay Travis proper that the Titans don’t have any purpose for optimism? appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.