The Tennessee Titans wasted no time in adding to their running backs room in free agency after the team reportedly agreed to terms with former Dallas Cowboys rusher, Tony Pollard, which was their first move.
Tennessee is giving Pollard a three-year deal worth $24 million, which works out to an annual average of $8 million.
That is more than I expected the Titans to spend on the position considering they already have Tyjae Spears on the roster, but I’m going to assume there’s at least a mostly clean out in Year 3 of the deal. Pollard is just 26, so his age isn’t a concern here.
As far as the fit goes, it’s a good one.
Pollard isn’t the prototypical power back we expected the Titans to sign, but he’s still a strong runner, as evidenced by his gaining 819 yards after contact in 2023, the third-most in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats.
Tony Pollard gained 819 yards after contact in 2023, 3rd-most in the NFL.
Pollard joins a Titans team that saw their running backs contacted behind the line of scrimmage on 46.7% of their carries last season, the 6th-highest rate in the NFL.#Titans https://t.co/9hgeUDILpd pic.twitter.com/Tca9RtPGAb
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 11, 2024
That should also make him an asset in short-yardage situations, but even if he struggles in that area, Spears was elite when it came to converting on 3rd- and 4th-and-short situations in 2023 among backs with 100 attempts.
The best thing about Pollard is he brings the kind of versatility Spears does. Pollard is an explosive runner who can break big ones to the outside and catch passes out of the backfield. He’s also good in pass protection.
Having two backs who are similar in those ways will prevent the Titans from telegraphing what they’re going to do based on who is on the field, which was often an issue with Derrick Henry.
I don’t love the money the Titans spent on Pollard, but I do love the 1-2 punch he creates with Spears. Overall, this was a solid signing.
Grade: B
