The Broncos went into the deadline looking for help on offense, and one name they kicked around was Tony Pollard.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Denver showed interest in a trade for the Tennessee Titans running back, but the Titans were “adamant for weeks” that they were unlikely to move the veteran. The New York Giants were also mentioned by Schultz as a team that had interest.
That left Sean Payton and the Broncos without the backfield addition they apparently explored. Denver did make one move, sending a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers for linebacker Daiyan Henley. That deal added depth to the linebacker room, but it didn’t address the offense the way many expected.
Pollard, meanwhile, has kept producing in Tennessee despite the team’s struggles. He’s in his third season with the Titans after his first five years with the Dallas Cowboys, where he backed up Ezekiel Elliott before eventually taking over after Elliott left Dallas.
His numbers have stayed strong in Tennessee. Pollard rushed for 1,079 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2024, then followed with 1,082 yards and 5 scores in 2025. This year, he has 595 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The Titans enter this weekend with just one win, but Pollard is coming off back-to-back 100-yard games. That stretch includes a three-touchdown outing against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 25 and two more scores against the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 1.
He has also given rookie quarterback Cam Ward a steady veteran presence in the backfield and in the locker room.
Pollard is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent in March. With Tennessee sitting at 1-7 and well out of the playoff race, moving him would have made plenty of sense. Instead, he stays put, and the Broncos leave the deadline without the running back help they explored.
Even so, Denver is sitting in first place in the AFC West, so there’s no real reason for panic just yet.
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