The Jacksonville Jaguars cannot afford to take quarterback Cam Ward lightly next season. Granted, he's a rookie, but the Tennessee Titans drafted him first overall for a reason, and it looks like he's the real deal. Having said that, the Jags' divisional foe could have an issue behind center if the former Miami Hurricane goes down at some point in 2025.
Following an unremarkable outing in Week 1of the preseason, Tennessee announced that it waived backup signal-caller Tim Boyle and signed Trevor Siemian in a corresponding move.
In case you were wondering how poorly Boyle played, he went 4-of-13 for 24 yards and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Rightly, he got his walking papers.
Related: Winners and losers from the Jags preseason game vs. the Steelers
The Titans could be in trouble if Cam Ward misses time
As things stand, don't expect the Tennessee Titans to be a threat for the division title in 2025. But if there's a reason for optimism, it's Cam Ward. Sure, he's going to go deal with the growing pains that come with making the transition to the NFL, but it's not rare for rookie quarterbacks to make an impact right off the bat.
Back in 2023, the Houston Texans made the playoffs and won the division crown with a then-rookie C.J. Stroud at the helm. He wasn't the sole reason they got as far as they did that year, but he certainly played a role, throwing for over 4,000 yards with 23 passing touchdowns with just five interceptions.
More recently, Jayden Daniels was one of the reasons the Washington Commanders made it all the way to the NFC Championship game in 2024. They ultimately lost, but the fact that they got that far to begin with is proof that a team can succeed with a first-year passer behind center.
Circling back to Cam Ward, it's never pleasant to see players get hurt, whether they're on your team or play for a divisional foe. Having said that, injuries are an inherent part of a collision sport such as football, and teams must be prepared in case the starting quarterback goes down. The Titans don't appear to be.
And that's the thing, the backup is always one injury away from getting thrust into action, and the last thing Tennessee will want is to have to lean on Trevor Siemian.
Why would the Jaguars have an edge if Trevor Siemian plays for the Titans?
Any NFL team can win on any given Sunday. However, their chances will decrease considerably if they have Trevor Siemian has to see the field.
A seventh-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2015, Siemian is what you would call a journeyman, having played for the New York Jets (twice), the New Orleans Saints, and the Chicago Bears over the span of 10 years. The Northwestern product has appeared in 40 games with 33 starts and holds a 15-18 record. He's completed 58.57 percent of his throws for 7,751 yards with 44 touchdowns and 32 interceptions.
All things considered, those are decent numbers for a backup, but they precisely show why the Titans could be in trouble if he has to start, and why the Jags could have an edge if he's behind center when they face them in either of their two divisional bouts.