It’s possible Tennessee surprises people, but a playoff push feels like a reach. That said, there’s real excitement around Ward, who went No. 1 overall after a stellar season at Miami and was widely viewed as the most NFL-ready QB in the class.

Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk provided a blunt and grim assessment of where her franchise was. "It's impossible to ignore that our football team hasn't improved over the past two years," Strunk said in a statement.

During the Titans' offseason program, Cam Ward displayed his trademark confidence, both throwing the ball and trash-talking with teammates.