Tony Pollard isn’t going anywhere, at least not now, and the Tennessee Titans made that clear even as the trade deadline passed and the rumors kept swirling.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Denver Broncos and New York Giants both checked in on the veteran running back before Tennessee shut the door. The Titans had already signaled in recent weeks that they had no interest in moving Pollard, and that stance held firm through deadline day.
“Sources: The Broncos and Giants were among the teams interested in trading for Titans RB Tony Pollard,” Schultz reported. “But Tennessee was adamant for weeks that they were unlikely to move him, as he’s been vital to the locker room and the continued development of Cam Ward.”
That part of the equation appears to have mattered more to Tennessee than squeezing out additional future draft picks. Pollard is 29 and playing on an expiring contract, which is why some around the league questioned why the Titans would keep him during a season that has already gone sideways. But the team’s thinking was tied to Cam Ward, with Pollard’s value extending beyond the box score.
And Pollard has given them plenty to like. In eight games, the eight-year veteran has piled up 595 yards and six touchdowns on 133 carries. He’s been especially dangerous lately, with five of those scores coming in Weeks 7 and 8.
His impact showed up again in Tennessee’s 43-36 Week 8 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Pollard’s presence in the backfield helped open things up for Ward, who turned in the best outing of his young career. The second-year quarterback threw for 304 yards, a career high, and two touchdowns while completing 65.0% of his passes.
Tennessee has already added extra draft capital through the Jeffery Simmons and Amani Hooker trades, so the focus now shifts to the second half of the season and what Ward can become. Keeping Pollard around is part of that evaluation. The Titans’ next game comes in Week 10, when they travel to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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Rams Missed A Chance To Fix Their Biggest Problem Before Deadline
The trade deadline came and went with a few big names still sitting right where they started, and one of the more intriguing possibilities involved Tony Pollard and the Titans. Green Bay was among the teams weighing a move for the veteran back, a deal that would have given Tennessee a chance to reset a backfield that has been under the microscope while also adding draft capital at a time when every asset matters.
Pollard staying put was only one part of a deadline that left several contenders looking at what might have been. The Giants explored Jonathan Taylor, the Rams checked on George Pickens, and none of those swings materialized, leaving Tennessee with its own situation unchanged for now and the rest of the league still sorting through the cost of standing pat. [Read more 🡒]