The Denver Broncos have the unique challenge of facing a quarterback who has never played in the NFL, making watching tape a bit more difficult. While Vance Joseph is leading what is expected to be one of the best defenses in football, even he knows the orange and blue are in for a challenge on Sunday.
That new quarterback isn’t just an average Joe; it’s the guy who just went No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft: Cam Ward. The former Miami Hurricanes quarterback lit up the ACC and the Pac-12 before that at Washington State. The consensus All-American was the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and took home multiple awards for being the best quarterback in the country. He earned those honors by throwing for 4,319 yards and a Division 1 leading 39 touchdowns.
“He’s the first pick of the draft for a reason,” Joseph said. “When you watch the guy play, he’s got this unique poise about him for a young guy. He’s trying to make big plays, and I think that’s part of it; some young quarterbacks try not to mess it up. He’s trying to make a big play, and that makes him dangerous. That makes him ultra dangerous. And he’s trying to put a dagger in you every single down.”
Ward’s first pass in the preseason was a 35-yard connection to fellow rookie Elic Ayomanor. He threw for 145 yards total in parts of three games.
“He can really move, moving left, moving right, he can throw the ball 60 to 70 yards in the air,” Joseph said. “It only takes one play for him to make a big play. So, how we rush this guy. How we contain him, stopping the run and trying to make him one-dimensional is going to be key, and putting some pressure on him. But if he has free access, he’s going to hit the open man, if they’re open seven times, it’s going to be seven for seven. So we have to get on the bodies of the receivers and challenge the throws. Most rookies, you think, well, let’s play zone and make him work through layers of coverage. Not this guy, he’s going to fit it in there. So it’s definitely having the right plan for this guy, because he’s talented.”
Ward ran for over 200 yards and four touchdowns last fall at Miami. He rushed for 13 more touchdowns in his two years starting at Washington State.
Ward will power what is a rebuilt Titans offense, which scored the sixth-fewest points in the league last year. They added former Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard ahead of last season and he contributed with a third-straight 1,000-yard-plus rushing season.
“Pollard, he’s a hell of a player, a receiver in college, so he can catch the football, but he’s a one-cut runner,” Joseph said. “He gets vertical, he breaks tackles, he can push the pocket. He’s good in space. So he’s a real guy.”
And with Ward, it gives Calvin Ridley, who they also added ahead of 2024, a real chance to get the ball.
“And then they’ve got Ridley, in my opinion, he’s a top 10 receiver in this league. His speed, his stop and start. His ball skills are elite. So it’s going to be a challenge,” Joseph said. “They fixed the o line, that’s the first goal for an offense to get better. It’s up front and the coaching is really good, right? Watching every game from last year over the summer, they had really good game plans last year. Every single game. You know, the run game through Callahan is special. So it’s going to be a challenge, guys. It’s going to be an NFL game on Sunday. It won’t be easy for us. And again, it’s the first game of the season. We’re not sure what this kid’s going to do well or poorly. So that also makes a difference, especially early in the game.”
The Broncos kick off the season on Sunday with sky-high expectations and as huge favorites against the Titans.