TAMPA, Fla. — Cam Ward’s Professional Debut
Cam Ward’s first game as a professional quarterback was, well, decent but perhaps not what some fans hoped for.
The top pick in this year’s NFL Draft connected on five of his eight attempts for 67 yards. More importantly, he seemed to manage the Tennessee offense fairly well, even though they lost 29-7 in their preseason opener on Saturday night.
Just two days prior, Ward had faced the BUCS defense during a joint practice in Tampa Bay. In this game, he played through two series.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 219 pounds, the rookie connected three times with Calvin Ridley, helping the team on a scoring drive capped by a one-yard rush from Tony Pollard over 11 plays that gained 65 yards.
After spending over 14 minutes on the sidelines in the first quarter, their offense barely touched the ball. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay built a 10-0 lead, racking up 143 total yards against Tennessee’s mere 5.
“He performed well during those two series,” said Titans’ second-year coach Brian Callahan. “It felt similar to the first half of the year; he had three possessions, got a three-and-out, then came back with a touchdown drive.”
Ward seemed more positive about his brief appearance. “It was mostly a new group out there together, but I felt good about scoring points. Our first possession, we just couldn’t find our rhythm,” he mentioned.
“I wanted to go out for a third series, but Coach Callahan has a plan, and I’ll stick to it,” Ward added.
Ward started the team’s only scoring drive with a 27-yard completion to Ridley. He followed that with a 13-yard gain into Tampa Bay territory. However, he did have a moment of struggle; a sideline throw intended for Eric Ayomer was intercepted thanks to an impressive play by Buccaneers cornerback Josh Hayes.
Ultimately, Ward exited the game after leading the Titans to a touchdown without any turnovers. Backup Brandon Allen and third-stringer Tim Boyle took over, with Boyle throwing a pick-six shortly after.
For the Buccaneers, Kyle Trask started at quarterback even though he’s second on the depth chart behind Baker Mayfield. They also brought in 32-year-old Teddy Bridgewater as a safety net for their four-time NFC South defending champions.
Even with only 11 regular season passes under his belt since being drafted in 2021, Trask managed a two-yard touchdown run and two field goals in the first half. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 129 yards without interceptions before handing off the reins to rookie free agent Connor Bazelak.
“I thought he performed very well. He moved the ball efficiently and stayed composed,” commented Bucs coach Todd Bowles. “The practice wasn’t as sharp as the previous week, but he really shined in the game.”
