Calvin Ridley and Cam Ward turn urgency into big plays for Titans

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley is building a strong connection with rookie quarterback Cam Ward. On Saturday, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft connected multiple times with Ridley on deep passes during practice.

Ridley is known around training camp for his intensity, and he told ESPN's Turron Davenport that his "amount of urgency" on the field comes down to preparing perfectly with Ward.

Davenport asked,

"I've never seen a receiver practice with the amount of urgency that you practice with. Why is it so important for you to go for every rep like it's your last?"

Ridley said,

"It's really at this point for the timing of Cam because I'm not really ever gonna jog off the ball. He'll know that we're gonna come off that ball. We're just gonna speed off the ball so he knows where to put it."

Cam ➡️ Calvin

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— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) July 26, 2025

Ridley highlighted a recent play in practice, when Ward scrambled left and lofted a deep pass that he caught with ease.

"See that touch he had on it," Ridley said. "You give me time to run under. It's easy catches. So that's what I love about it. It's not hard catches. He has some touch. He let me run right under it and it was soft. So that's all the receiver ever wanted man."

The Titans are in need of a strong motivator heading into the 2025 season. After finishing with a 3-14 record in 2024, there are high hopes for what Cam Ward can bring to the team.

Rookie quarterbacks often face immense pressure, and Ward is no exception, given his top draft status. In this environment, veterans like Calvin Ridley will play a crucial role in supporting and protecting him. The growing connection between Ridley and Ward is likely to ease some of the pressure the QB carries.