Trade talk around the NFL keeps circling the same big names, but Tony Pollard has now crashed the conversation.
Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley have been the center of the running back rumor mill with the November 10 trade deadline approaching. Taylor is viewed as the player who would bring back the bigger return if he were moved, while Barkley has been described as a tougher trade piece for the Philadelphia Eagles. Even with those two drawing the most attention, another back has now emerged as a real name to watch.
That player is Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard. Tennessee’s 1-6 start has put the team in sell mode, and Pollard has surfaced as a leading candidate ahead of the 2026 NFL trade deadline. No deal has been completed, but the losing record has only strengthened the belief that he could be on the move.
Per ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Pollard is considered “more likely” to be traded than someone like Jonathan Taylor. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler added that Pollard is seen as an “attractive fallback plan” if the Colts decide to keep Taylor. Fowler also relayed the view of an AFC executive, who questioned the idea because the team doesn’t want to “take weapons away” from Cam Ward.
Pollard’s contract also makes him a natural trade candidate. He is in the final year of his three-year, $21.8 million deal.
Taylor, by comparison, just signed a two-year, $44 million extension with the Indianapolis Colts in August.
Even in a rough season for Tennessee, Pollard has been one of the few bright spots. He ranks 10th in the NFL with 478 rushing yards and is tied for 11th with four rushing touchdowns.
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Titans Suddenly Have A Real RB2 Debate Behind Tyjae Spears
Tyjae Spears was supposed to have a firmer grip on the Titans No. 2 running back job, but a knee injury and uneven play have opened the door for someone else. Michael Carter has been getting more work in recent games, and his ability to handle all three downs has caught attention from coach Robert Saleh. In a backfield that already leans heavily on Tony Pollard, the battle for touches behind him has become a real subplot.
Carters recent production has outpaced both Spears and rookie Nick Singleton, and that alone is changing the conversation about how Tennessee wants to structure its backfield. If Spears cannot get back to form, the Titans may have to decide whether Carter is simply a short-term fill-in or the more reliable option as RB2. The picture could shift again if Pollard is traded, which would only make this situation more important to watch in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Trade Buzz Now Centers On One Name Fans Wont Like
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League sources have also put Jermaine Johnson, Tony Pollard and Alontae Taylor in the conversation as potential trade candidates, which only adds to the sense that the market could move quickly if one deal gets enough traction. For the Titans, it is another reminder that the division around them is not standing still, and any shift at the deadline could alter both the short-term race and the longer view of how these rivals are built. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Loom In One Of The NFLs Biggest Trade Decisions
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For Tennessee, that matters because Jeffery Simmons is part of the wider trade discussion now forming around some of the leagues biggest names. Jonathan Taylor, Saquon Barkley, Brian Thomas and Budda Baker are also being floated as potential candidates, with possible landing spots already being mapped out, but the bigger question is how aggressive teams become once a move like Seattles changes the temperature. The Titans may not be the only club watching closely, but they are firmly among the teams who need to know where that market is heading before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]