Tony Pollard’s best case for the Titans may also be the strongest argument for moving him.
That’s the reality for Tennessee right now. The rebuild is still unfinished, the roster still has too many holes, and the loss to the Baltimore Ravens only reinforced that the Titans are not close to being done.
The young core is where the hope lives. Carnell Tate just erupted for 145 receiving yards, and Anthony Hill Jr. keeps standing out at linebacker as one of the league’s most efficient tacklers.
Against that backdrop, some of the older pieces start to look like they belong to a different phase of the project.
Pollard is one of them. The 29-year-old running back is in the final year of his contract and has been with Tennessee for three seasons.
Against Baltimore, he logged 16 carries and scored his first touchdown of the season. It was a solid performance, but in this case, that kind of showing only strengthens the case for a deal.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter brought Pollard up before kickoff on Sunday NFL Countdown as a possible trade candidate. "Tony Pollard fits the profile of somebody who could be dealt before the trade deadline," said Schefter.
The deadline is Tuesday, November 10.
"A team that's not winning with a player in the last year of his contract. If there's a team that needs running back help, Pollard might be the first call," Schefter continued.
That’s still speculation for now, but Pollard being discussed as a trade chip makes sense. Tennessee is not in a position to hold tight to every productive veteran, especially when the backfield already has Tyjae Spears and rookie Nick Singleton waiting for more opportunities. A move would keep the split-backfield setup intact while giving Singleton a chance to take on a bigger role.
This isn’t about Pollard falling off a cliff. He’s doing his part.
But age, contract status, and a shrinking role as a featured starter all point in the same direction. Tennessee has a window to cash in while his value is still there.
For the Titans, that makes a Pollard trade feel less like a surprise and more like the next logical step in the rebuild.
In Other News...
Ryan Clark Turns Up The Heat On Cam Ward And The Titans
The Titans winless start kept getting more familiar Sunday in Baltimore, where a sluggish opening turned into another loss and another round of criticism for a team still searching for traction. Cam Wards day began with an early interception and ended with modest production in a 24-18 defeat, as Tennessee fell to 0-4 and watched the Ravens control enough of the game before Lamar Jackson exited with an ankle injury.
Even with Jackson leaving and Tyler Huntley stepping in, the Titans could not swing the result back in their favor, leaving more frustration around a young quarterback trying to settle in and a roster still looking for answers. Ward finished with 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception, but the bigger issue remains the same for Tennessee: the performances are not matching the urgency of a team that has yet to put a win on the board. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Ward Just Gave Titans Fans A New Reason To Worry
After the Titans loss to the Ravens, Cam Ward had another moment that will linger with Tennessee fans as much as the result itself. The rookie quarterback met with the media afterward and, before settling in to answer questions, initially said he would leave if the wait stretched beyond three minutes. He stayed, but the exchange added a little more edge to a frustrating night for a team still trying to find its footing.
Ward also addressed the interception he threw in the game and circled back to the bigger issue facing Tennessee: the need to eliminate the kind of bad plays that keep putting the Titans behind. It was the sort of postgame reflection that sounded honest enough, but the kind of honesty that also reminds everyone how much work remains. Next up is Houston, and the Titans will be looking for cleaner football before that matchup arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Keep Finding Painful New Ways To Waste Their Chances
The Titans early-season frustration only deepened in Baltimore, where another loss pushed Tennessee to 0-4 and added a fresh layer of regret to a team already searching for answers. This one had the familiar mix of self-inflicted wounds and missed opportunities: a late interception, special teams penalties, offensive stagnation after halftime and a game that kept slipping away while former Titan Derrick Henry found the end zone for the Ravens.
Carnell Tate gave Tennessee a reason to keep leaning in with a standout effort, even if a costly fumble undercut it, and the coaching side only added to the unease. Brian Dabolls decisions were part of the conversation throughout the night, as the Titans once again seemed to find new ways to turn a winnable stretch into another empty result. For a team trying to stop the bleeding, the bigger problem is that the defeats are starting to look different only in the details. [Read more 🡒]