Titans’ OTA at day eight features Cam Ward’s steady start, defensive pick, and a big showing by Chimere Dike

The Tennessee Titans kept their organized team activities rolling on Tuesday with what marked the eighth day of the session. The practice was open to reporters, and it provided the usual blend of sharp throws, contested routes, and defensive stands that shape early evaluations this time of year. Tuesday’s storyline, at least for the quarterback-receiver groupings, centered on Cam Ward’s first-team work and the ways the defense managed to disrupt timing even when the offense looked clean.

Ward began the first team period 3-of-4 and connected for an early completion to Chimere Dike. Even so, the session included an immediate response from the secondary, as Ward was intercepted by cornerback Micah Robinson, Ward’s second interception in as many days. Across the day, the Titans’ beat writer tallied Ward’s passing totals in the segments accessible to reporters, with Ward at 3-of-6 in 7-on-7 and 9-of-16 in team periods, for a combined 12-of-22. It was a reminder that OTA accuracy and ball placement still matter, even when the practice setting is designed for installation rather than game speed.

Chimere Dike stood out as one of the more consistent targets. During a “Strikezone” period, he caught touchdowns from Ward on two separate plays, including a connection just outside the 25-yard line. After one of Dike’s scores was erased by an official ruling that he was short of the goal line, the next sequence produced the payoff, as Dike beat Jalen McMurray to the corner for another touchdown. The day also included completions from other quarterbacks, with Dike receiving throws from Mitchell Trubisky and earlier in practice hauling in a 60-yard touchdown from Will Levis.

The day also offered a small window into another quarterback-receiver emphasis, particularly the ongoing development of Ward’s rhythm with Wan’Dale Robinson. The two worked through some connectivity issues, with Ward completing to Robinson on one play but the timing uneven on others, including an overthrow and another ball that was broken up and nearly picked. Those are the kinds of micro-details that can matter later, especially for a team trying to refine passing patterns and reads between now and the start of the regular season.

Not every name showed up for the session’s on-field work. Rookie receiver Carnell Tate did not practice on Tuesday, and that absence created additional opportunities for other players to make plays in competitive situations. Tate’s missed reps can also be useful context for interpreting Tuesday’s receiving highlights, because the “who’s getting targets” question changes whenever a rookie is held out during OTA.

On the play-making side of the offense, quarterback Xavier Restrepo’s chemistry with Ward continued to show up in the practice narrative. The Titans’ beat writer described a 27-yard touchdown connected through that pairing, reinforcing that Ward’s best stretches were not limited to any single receiver route tree. As OTA week progresses, the Titans’ staff will likely weigh which combinations look most repeatable, since the goal is to build continuity before the more structured and physical phases that follow.

With day eight complete, the Titans now move deeper into the OTA period before the calendar turns toward minicamp and training camp. Tuesday’s work underscored the team’s dual focus: keeping quarterbacks sharp through team drills and, at the same time, testing them with defensive looks that force quicker decisions. The next open-practice opportunities will be worth watching to see whether Ward’s timing issues with specific targets persist or whether other reps, including those without Tate, shuffle the pecking order at receiver.