The Tennessee Titans didn’t overhaul their backfield this offseason, and that makes the final running back spot one of the more interesting battles in camp.
Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are set to return as the top two backs for the third straight season, while general manager Mike Borgonzi added former Penn State runner Nicholas Singleton with a fifth-round pick. Singleton isn’t expected to carve out a major role right away, but he’s basically locked into the 53-man roster. That leaves the Titans with a decision if they decide to keep four backs: one spot, three candidates, and no easy answer.
Training camp will sort out the pecking order, and the competition comes down to Julius Chestnut, Kalel Mullings and Michael Carter.
Chestnut is the familiar face in the room. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Sacred Heart and has quietly become the longest-tenured running back on the roster.
He’s made the Titans’ initial 53 in each of the last four seasons, from 2022 through 2025, and he’s often popped in the preseason. His value also extends to special teams, even if there have been a few miscues along the way.
Familiarity with special teams coordinator John "Bones" Fassel could help him hang on again.
Mullings, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was brought in with a clear idea in mind: short-yardage work and special teams help. That didn’t really come together as a rookie.
Injuries and uneven play kept him from gaining traction, and his offensive chances were limited. He turned three carries into seven yards, including failed short-yardage tries, while logging 137 snaps on special teams.
As a rookie, he may not get the same margin for error this time around. He’ll have to win the job outright.
Carter is the newest name in the mix, but he may be the most familiar to the staff. He previously played for Titans head coach Robert Saleh with the New York Jets, and that connection likely mattered when Tennessee brought him in.
Carter is a smaller, quicker back who can make things happen in space, and his profile lines up most closely with Tyjae Spears, who has had injury issues in recent years. The catch is that Chestnut and Mullings may offer more on special teams, which could put Carter at a disadvantage.
However it shakes out, this is a real camp fight with a roster spot on the line.
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