Well, he was the clear best backup on this team heading into training camp. And there was at least some mutual interest in trading him. But all of those questions were silenced in one fell swoop on Monday when the team announced he was undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery on July 29.

Throughout the offseason, the Titans were very intentional in how they curated Cam Ward’s acclimation process. His development was assessed through a daily lens — not measured by how close he was to starting or being a franchise quarterback.

Incumbent starter Will Levis entered camp as the team's second quarterback, offering the Titans a reasonable fallback should Ward struggle in camp or early in the season. However, on Monday, the team announced that Levis would undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.