NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- During the Tennessee Titans' opening practice of training camp, second-year quarterback Cam Ward threw a strike between two defenders to the No. 4 pick in April in Carnell Tate in the end zone. Then Ward followed that up with a well-timed pass to second-year receiver Elic Ayomanor as soon as he broke inside for another score.
It's no coincidence that Ayomanor and Tate were the recipients of Ward's touchdown passes, or that veteran receiver Wan'Dale Robinson saw a lion's share of targets on the first day of training camp.
Ayomanor, Robinson and Tate were among a group of pass catchers whom Ward invited to Miami for a three-week bonding experience before training camp. Xavier Restrepo, Bryce Oliver, Mason Kinsey, Chimere Dike and tight end Gunnar Helm were also in attendance.
The getaway created an opportunity to develop chemistry on and off the field.
"It was really good for all the guys to get together," said Robinson, who the Titans brought in on a four-year, $78 million deal this offseason. "Being able to throw with each other, just kind of get on the same page with a lot of different things and then just being able to be around each other. I mean, obviously the closer that we feel like we are, the better football team we will be."
Ward said they did things off the field such as swimming, spending time on a boat, shopping and "just kicking it" to create a bond that goes beyond the game. Footballwise, they watched film together, which Ward pointed to as one of the best ways to get on the same page.
They also worked on timing -- where they ironed out details such as how Ward wanted them to come out of their breaks or tweak a route against a certain coverage. For instance, if one of the receivers is running a corner route, they have to come out of their break a little more flat toward the sideline against a two-safety look as opposed to working more up the field against a single safety.
"They have to see my point of view," Ward said Wednesday. "Especially with angles, how they have to have good body demeanor across the middle of the field, wrapping linebackers, sitting in zone spots."
The Titans' offense will be under new tutelage under their new coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.
Daboll will give Ward and the receivers a lot of freedom to play off of feel in space against defenses, but they'll have to be disciplined and in sync, as that could lead to an interception if a receiver doesn't get to a spot that Ward expects them to.
Ward and the receivers didn't have a defense to work against while they were in Miami, so they had to use their imagination to get a feel for how things should go against different looks. They worked through different ways defenses could react to situations and made sure they understood where the ball needs to go against the various looks. Banking those reps develops a baseline understanding of how to react.
Some of Ward's most spectacular plays last season came off-script when he had to extend plays. Take Ward's first career touchdown pass, which came against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2 last season. He scrambled to his right, and Ayomanor saw him, so he ran to an open spot on the left where Ward lofted a pass to the corner of the end zone for the touchdown.
"I know what he's thinking, and he knows what I'm going to do so we're on the same page," Ayomanor said after the Rams game.
Those off-script plays aren't always just random occurrences. It's often the result of working the quarterback scramble drill.
"A lot of that's just watching it on film after," Robinson said. "Whenever he's kind of moving around and doing certain things, and it's just kind of like, 'Hey, if you want to go here, you can go there, and I'll still get the ball to you.' And I'm like, 'All right, what if I do this and go right here?' It's just always communicating and making sure we're on the same page. Big plays will happen from there."
Last season, the Titans finished last with three passing plays of 40 yards or more. Their 41 passes of 20 yards or more landed them in a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the sixth least as well. It's safe to say Tennessee is starving for big plays to happen this season. So there's hope that the extra time spent in Miami will result in more big plays on the field.
"You always want it," Saleh said Wednesday. "The bonding part about it, the communicating, the trust. Trusting one another isn't just running routes on the football field. It's a constant communication off the field. It's understanding each other, understanding the human being. And so anytime those guys get together, it's a good thing."
