Rookie quarterbacks playing meaningful games in their first NFL campaigns have previously been judged largely on avoiding mistakes and operating offenses with reasonable efficiency. Cam Ward's first game for the Tennessee Titans might shatter the notion of what rookie signal-callers should be if they're asked to play early.
That's terribly ironic for a No. 1 overall pick who came into the league with significantly less fanfare than previous Round 1 quarterbacks. Part of that can be attributed to the lack of talent surrounding him on the Titans offense. The other part can be attributed to how big of an adjustment many scouts believed Ward would face going from college to the pros.
It's dangerous to make too many lasting conclusions about Ward after one game, but one statistic jumps off the page about his performance against the Broncos. The former Miami standout led NFL quarterbacks in air yards per target in his first professional game.
He posted a healthy average of 10.8 air yards per target. He doubled down on that risk taking by posting an aggressive percentage of 21.4 percent on the afternoon. Ward's air target percentage led the league, while he finished only behind Dak Prescott in terms of aggressive throws.
Cam Ward is ready to air it out
The clear downside to that aggression is that Ward only managed to complete 12 passes on 28 attempts for a total of 112 yards through the air. His inefficiency under center was a big reason why Tennessee lost its opener to Denver. None of that inefficiency should dampen the excitement of Titans fans over their new franchise quarterback.
It will be much easier for the Titans' coaching staff to dial down Ward's aggressiveness to improve his efficiency as the season chugs along. It would be a much bigger concern if he turned down the opportunity to take shots down the field when he thought his receivers enjoyed an advantage. Too many rookie quarterbacks shy away from taking that sort of risk in hopes of avoiding turnovers.
Don't be surprised if NFL talent evaluators start gravitating more towards quarterbacks who show more of a gunslinging mentality in future seasons. Stars like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen came into the league with the confidence to push the ball down the field. That ability drastically raised their ceilings as players. The Chiefs and Bills now benefit from having perennial All-Pros at the game's most important position.
That happens to be the biggest advantage any NFL team can have. That's why everyone should start taking shots at prospects like Ward who can come into the league with the willingness to push the ball down the field at every opportunity. It raises their ceilings as prospects, but more importantly, raises the ceiilngs of the offenses they lead.
That is why NFL teams armed with Round 1 picks who need to secure upgrades at the quarterback position are going to change how they view prospects as a result of Ward's promise. Drafting safe, cerebral quarterbacks who avoid risk will become a thing of the past. The era of rolling the dice on big-armed signal callers who aren't afraid to push the ball down the field is her to stay because of Ward's exploits.