The full pads are on and summer is at its hottest point. Yes, NFL training camps are starting to heat up around the league.
No longer are practices in shells and shorts, but teams are starting to play football and have competitions decided on the field. The preseason actually kicks off on Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game (Lions vs. Chargers) and Week 1 of the exhibition slate kicks off Aug. 7. Soon, the Eagles and Cowboys will kick off the regular season on Sept. 4.
With training camps kicking into high gear, there are some takeaways that are worth paying attention to with the preseason fast approaching. Not everything involves quarterback competitions either!
Cameron Ward thinks the Titans offense is ‘mid’
The Titans had one of the worst offenses in football last season, ranking 28th in points per possession (1.60) and 29th in yards per possession (26.9). The lack of production on offense led Tennessee to the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, which gave the Titans the right to select Cameron Ward as their franchise quarterback.
Through a week of training camp practice, Ward didn’t mince words regarding the offense he’ll lead onto the field in Week 1.
“Just think we’re very mid right now,” Ward said to reporters on Wednesday. “Up front, to the receivers, and every position. But at the end of the day, it all starts with me. I just don’t think we’re at what we need to be, but we got a little bit of time.
“Every day we get better as a whole, and we’re a young team. But that’s no excuse. We gotta come with the right mindset every day and come to work.”
Ward deserves a lot of credit with being upfront about his team. Whether Ward will be a good quarterback will be determined, but the Titans have to be impressed with his leadership skills.
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John Breech
Whatever you decide to make of training camp stats, they are recorded by many beat writers as a way to let fans know what’s going on and to engage content. There can be some meaning behind them, even though the context of the stats is lacking.
Not turning the football over in practice can lead to turnover-free football in a game. And that’s what Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is doing. Tagovailoa hasn’t thrown an interception through seven Dolphins training camp practices and has been consistent from day to day.
That’s what Tagovailoa is focusing on through every practice. The result isn’t what he’s seeking, it’s more about the progress in each practice.
While Michael Penix Jr. has been the focus early in Falcons training camp, Atlanta may have struck gold on the defensive side of the ball. James Pearce Jr., Atlanta’s first-round pick, has been impressive through the first week of camp.
Pearce has been beating his blockers on the regular, leading to several practice skirmishes once the Falcons put the pads on. His speed on the edge has been on display, along with the edge (pun intended) Pearce has provided on the defensive front.
“It was a part of our draft. We wanted to add a little edge to our football team,” said Falcons coach Raheem Morris, per the team website. “We wanted to add a little edge to our rush.”
The Falcons were 31st in sacks last season and are 31st in total sacks since the start of the 2017 season. To say their pass rush has been subpar over the last decade would be an understatement.
The Falcons traded their first-round pick in 2026 as well as their second-round pick and a seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft to move up to No. 26 overall and select Pearce. The gamble may be paying off.
Texans find draft steal?
There was some hype at the combine regarding Penn State safety Jaylen Reed, but not enough to warrant any selection in the first five rounds of the draft. The Texans eventually took Reed in the sixth round (No. 187 overall), hoping his aggressiveness in the secondary would translate to the NFL.
Through a week of training camp practices, Reed has two interceptions and has been playing safety — instead of in the slot like he was at Penn State. The Texans are benefitting from the position change, as Reed appears to be a natural at his new position.
Reed isn’t a starter in Houston, as Calen Bullock and C.J. Gardner-Johnson have those jobs locked up. He could, however, be challenging free agent signing Jimmie Ward for playing time.
If Travis Hunter had it his way, he wouldn’t be taken off the field. Hunter has been seeing reps on both sides of the ball in Jaguars training camp, as a wide receiver and cornerback — as Jacksonville balances his days between the offense and defense. CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco has said Hunter is working with the defensive coaches when the team runs special teams on an offensive day and vice versa, never taking a break during practice.
Hunter is wired differently. That much is clear. Seeing how he’s utilized in the preseason will be a fun watch.
