Tony Pollard picked a good time to get hot. The Tennessee Titans running back has five rushing touchdowns over his last two games, and that surge arrived with the Nov. 10 trade deadline a week away and Tennessee sitting at 1-7 during its bye.
FanSided’s Wynston Wilcox laid out cheap trade packages for the Packers, Giants and Broncos, pitching Pollard as the fallback for contenders that miss on Colts star Jonathan Taylor. He suggested a third-round pick from New York should be enough to get Tennessee’s attention. ESPN’s Dan Graziano has also called Pollard more likely to be dealt than Taylor or Saquon Barkley.
Why the Titans should sell now
Pollard ran for 349 yards and one touchdown on 87 carries through the first six games. He has 246 yards and five scores on 46 carries since, including 117 yards and two touchdowns in the 43-36 overtime loss in Cincinnati. He earned an 83.0 run grade for that game, according to PFF.
He’s also playing on an expiring deal. Pollard is in the final year of the three-year, $21.75 million contract he signed in 2024, and Over the Cap shows a trade would save Tennessee $7.25 million while leaving $2 million in dead money. We wrote last week that the small dead-cap hit makes him easy to move.
There’s a case for keeping him. Pollard told The Tennessean, “I don’t have any plans of leaving or anything like that.” Tom Pelissero has reported that Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi told callers Pollard isn’t available, and the veteran has steadied the offense around Cam Ward, who threw for a career-high 304 yards against the Bengals.
Tennessee already took the long view when it sent Jeffery Simmons to Chicago for two first-round picks. Pollard turns 30 in April, hits free agency in March and comes out of the bye against Jacksonville’s league-best run defense. His value may never be higher than it is this week.
If a contender calls before Nov. 10 with a Day 2 pick, the Titans should take it and add it to a 2027 draft haul built around Ward.
More on the Tennessee Titans
- Carnell Tate Missed the Titans’ Week 8 Game With an Injury, and the No. 4 Pick’s 66.5 PFF Grade Ranks Fifth Among Rookie Receivers
- Tennessee Titans Should Prioritize Cam Ward’s Growth Over Draft Position
- Jeffery Simmons’ First Bears Win Stings the Titans After Joe Burrow’s 462 Yards in Cincinnati
- Jeffery Simmons’ Deal Signals Chicago Bears Are Racing Clock With Caleb Williams
