Cam Ward’s rookie season graded 27th of 27 qualifying quarterbacks in expected points added per dropback. EPA counts the points a play adds or takes away versus an average play. Sacks are where he separates from the field. His 55 of them erased 120.3 points of value and nobody in football lost more that way. Every other dropback he took all season netted plus 6.8.
EPA measures points added or removed versus an average play.
The honest version of that, because the obvious pushback is right. His incompletions cost more in raw terms, 175.2 points across 537 attempts, and three quarterbacks lost more that way. That number is ordinary for a rookie throwing that often. The sack number has no company. Second place is Geno Smith at 101.7 on the same 55 sacks.
The sack rate ran 9.3 percent against a 6.9 league average, both measured across the 592 dropbacks that ended in a pass or a sack rather than a scramble. It was high everywhere. 14.6 percent on third and seven or more, against a league 10.9. 8.3 percent on every other down, against a league 6.2. That spread points at the line and at a rookie holding the ball. How much belongs to each is the year two question.
Sources: nflverse play by play, pulled again August 24, 2026.