Fifty-one picks after Cam Ward was taken No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans began constructing the remainder of their nine-player class.
Swiftly showcasing the leadership he's been lauded for, Ward was reaching out to his new teammates on social media and via text.
Ward's quick-release communication came after he reached out to fellow Titans rookie Mike Borgonzi, the team's first-year general manager.
"He was actually texting me," Borgonzi said Monday. "He's on it pretty quick."
From all indications, Ward is taking the reins as the Titans' franchise quarterback of the future. However, the Titans aren't handing him the starting reins, just yet.
"We're not gonna name any starters here, though, right now in the offseason," Borgonzi said.
Borgonzi and Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker weren't naming Ward the starter nor are they looking to move quarterback Will Levis.
"It's a lot of value," Borgonzi said when asked of Levis' value to the team. "There's gonna be competition in every room. And he elevates the competition in that room. That's what we're trying to do here as we get into training camp is have the best 90-man roster. Best competition in every room, and Will certainly provides that."
Levis provided Tennessee with 21 starts over the past two seasons, a 2023 NFL Draft second-round selection who at times flashed brilliance but too often made head-scratching blunders. Levis tied for the league high with 18 turnovers (12 interceptions and six fumbles lost) last season -- his first campaign under Titans head coach Brian Callahan.
With the addition of Ward, Levis' time atop the Titans depth chart is done for all intents and purposes. However, Borgonzi said "there was not" an attempt to move him during the draft and it would seem the team wants Ward to compete for the starting job -- at least right now, anyhow.
Levis, who shared starts with Mason Rudolph last year, and Ward are joined in the Titans' current QB room by journeymen backups Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle.
"It's a great room we have right now with those four guys," Borgonzi said. "That'll be up to Brian and his staff in terms of reps as we go through the offseason and get into training camp. We'll take it step by step here and that'll be up to Brian in terms of who takes what reps at some point."
Ward hasn't been named the starting QB and the Titans aren't looking to move Levis.
At some point, the former is very likely to change and the latter might, as well.
For now, though, the buzz word is competition.
"The idea here is to have competition in the room," Borgonzi said.
