Tony Pollard is heading to Tennessee.
Pollard has reached an agreement with the Titans after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Cowboys.
A fourth-round pick in 2019, Pollard evolved from his role as Ezekiel Elliott's backup to an every-down dual-threat as a runner and pass-catcher. Even coming off of an underwhelming season as Dallas' feature back, Pollard proved he's capable of handling a bigger workload, starting every game. Now, he'll continue to put that to the test with the Titans.
For more information on Pollard's new contract, The Sporting News has you covered with all the details below.
BEST FREE AGENTS AVAILABLE:
QBs | RBs | WRs | Defense | Overall
Tony Pollard contract details
- Team: Titans
- Years: 3
- Value: $24 million
Pollard has agreed to sign a three-year, $24 million contract with the Titans, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. He will receive $24 million guaranteed.
Dallas selected Pollard out of Memphis with the 128th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, signing him a four-year, $3.2 million rookie contract.
The 26-year-old running back played on the Cowboys' franchise tag last season, earning $10.1 million in 2023.
With this new deal, Pollard's career earnings will jump up to $38 million if he plays through the entirety of his contract.
NFL DRAFT: Top 125 big board | Mock draft, post-combine edition
Tony Pollard stats
Pollard's overall stats from the 2023 season aren't all that disappointing, but a bigger leap was expected once he was freed from Elliott's shadow.
Pollard posted career highs in carries (252) and receptions (55), but his production didn't exactly skyrocket with the extra work. He finished with his second-consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, but his rushing touchdown total dipped from nine in 2022 to six in '23.
Despite his career-best receptions mark, Pollard finished with 60 fewer receiving yards than 2022 and failed to score a receiving touchdown after collecting three the year prior.
He averaged career lows with 4.0 rushing yards per attempt, 5.7 receiving yards per attempt and 4.6 yards per touch.
Pollard's 1,316 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns is by no means a bad season. The Cowboys just had higher hopes for their starting running back, who was coming off of a Pro Bowl season as Elliott's backup in 2022.
| Year | Games | Carries | Rush yds | Y/C | Rec. | Rec. yds | Total TDs |
| 2019 | 15 | 86 | 455 | 5.3 | 15 | 107 | 3 |
| 2020 | 16 | 101 | 435 | 4.3 | 28 | 193 | 5 |
| 2021 | 15 | 130 | 719 | 5.5 | 39 | 337 | 2 |
| 2022 | 16 | 193 | 1,007 | 5.2 | 39 | 371 | 12 |
| 2023 | 17 | 252 | 1,005 | 4.0 | 55 | 311 | 6 |
| Total | 79 | 762 | 3,621 | 4.8 | 176 | 1,319 | 28 |
Titans RB depth chart
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Tony Pollard |
| 2 | Tyjae Spears |
| 3 | Hassan Haskins |
| 4 | Julius Chestnut |
Pollard appears to be the new starter in Tennessee, supplanting longtime standout Derrick Henry.
Pollard will now slot in ahead of Tyjae Spears, who had a solid rookie season for the Titans rushing for 453 yards and scoring two touchdowns on 100 carries. He also caught 52 passes for 385 yards and added another score through the air.
Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut figure to be the remaining depth behind Pollard and Spears.
Tony Pollard fantasy outlook 2024
Pollard was one of last season's biggest fantasy disappointments despite squeaking out 1,005 rushing yards, so it's easy to overlook him now that he's in a less glamorous situation. That would be a mistake, though. The shifty back should actually thrive in new coach Brian Callahan's offense. The former Bengals' OC didn't oversee a particularly run-heavy offense, as Cincinnati posted the third-fewest rushing attempts last year. However, the Bengals made heavy use of their backs in the passing game, shown by Joe Mixon's 60 and 52 receptions, respectively, in the past two seasons. Pollard hauled in 55 passes last year in Dallas, making him a perfect fit for this offense.
Blocking could be an issue unless Tennessee continues to address offensive line in free agency and the draft, so don't expect huge rushing numbers, but Pollard should be able to put together around 1,200 total yards with a good shot at seven-plus TDs if he's truly used as a feature back. That would give him a season similar to 2023 when he finished as the RB15 in half-PPR leagues thanks to good health. That's not bad if you're paying a third- or fourth-round price instead of top-15. — Matt Lutovsky