The Tennessee Titans have not had a good season. They are 1-7 on the year, which places them in line for the second pick in the 2027 NFL Draft currently. The front office is clearly building towards the future. The Titans trade away Jeffery Simmons, their top defensive player, to the Chicago Bears in exchange for two first-round picks.
With the Titans already moving on from one of their best players for future draft capital, they could be looking to move on from other players. Calvin Ridley has been discussed as a potential trade candidate for the Titans. The 31-year-old receiver has clearly been replaced as the top receiver on the team, with Carnell Tate taking over. Tate taking over as the top receiver, along with Wan'Dale Robinson and Elic Ayomanor, happened because they have been given the opportunity to show their future value.
One position where the Titans have young players who have not yet gotten the opprotunity is at running back. The team's primary running back has been Tony Pollard. Pollard has been great this year, running for 595 yards and six touchdowns so far this year. As the Titans enter their bye week, there is no better time to trade Pollard than now.
There are teams that need running backs
Multiple teams are potentially interested in bringing in a running back at the trade deadline. Jonathan Taylor is the top potential running back on the market. It has been previously reported that up to six teams could be interested in Taylor. Only one team will win the sweepstakes for Taylor, leaving five other teams still looking for a running back. The Green Bay Packers could be one of the teams interested. They are last in the NFL in yards per carry and rushing yards per game.
Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos could also be interested. They are running for just 95 yards per game so far this year. With a solid defense and quarterback Bo Nix needing support, adding a steady running back to the mix could be a major boost. There are also teams like the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, and Cincinnati Bengals who could be interested if they fail to get Taylor.
There could also be other teams that already have a solidified top running back but may be looking for depth. One of those is the Detroit Lions. They have Jahmyr Gibbs, who has already run the ball 157 times and added 34 receptions on 44 targets. With the amount of usage Gibbs is getting, adding another back to share the load somewhat could be smart, and Pollard would be a solid option.
Regardless, with so many teams potentially interested in running backs, the value Pollard could have may be worth moving on from the running back.
The Titans need to play their young players
The Titans have been led by young players on offense this year. They are led by Cam Ward. The quarterback is in his second season in the NFL and is just 24 years old. He has thrown for 1,483 yards and six touchdowns this year. Meanwhile, 21-year-old rookie Carnell Tate leads the team with 413 yards on 34 receptions with a touchdown. Wan'Dale Robinson leads the team in receptions this year. The 25-year-old has 35 receptions for 262 yards and three scores. Gunner Helms leads the way for tight ends. The 24-year-old has 17 receptions for 160 yards this year.
It is not only on offense that the Titans are getting younger, and the young players have made an impact. The defense has been led by rookie Anthony Hill Jr. The 21-year-old leads the team with 82 tackles while having a tackle for a loss, three pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
The Titans have solid backup running backs who are young and need a chance to prove themselves. Tyjae Spears is in his fourth season in the NFL but is just 25 years old. He has just 18 carries this year for 66 yards. In his career, he has run for 1,1e4 yards and eight scores. It is possible he could break out if given the chance. There is also Nicholas Singleton. The 22-year-old rookie has played in just four games this year with seven carries for 12 yards. The Titans have two first-round picks in 2027, and could get more draft capital from trading Pollard. Before the draft, they need to see what they have with their young running backs to see if they need to pick one early in 2027.
Article Continues BelowPollard's value will never be higher
While the Titans have not said if they will move their running back, he will get interest, and his value may not ever be higher. First, he is affordable for a veteran running back. His guaranteed base salary for 2027 is just $5.99 million, while he has just $3.32 million due this year. He is also due a total of $6.74 million, with non-guaranteed salary included in the figure.
Meanwhile, Pollard has been very consistent in his production. In 2022 and 2023, when he was still with the Dallas Cowboys, he ran for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons with a total of 15 touchdowns. In his first two years with the Titans, he has also racked up over 1,000 yards in each season while scoring five touchdowns both years. He is on pace for over 1,000 yards this year. Pollard has already run for 595 yards and six touchdowns this season.
Further, he is coming off two of his best games of the year. In his last two games, he has run the ball 46 times for 246 yards and five touchdowns. With Pollard running well, having a history of consistency, and a manageable salary cap hit, he will be highly attractive to teams that need a running back.
The Titans may not be far from contending. While they are 1-7 this year, they have played multiple close games. Of their seven losses, five of them have been by one score. If they start turning those tight games into wins, the team will be a contender. A few major pieces from the 2027 NFL Draft could be enough to build the Titans in the right direction, but that means also trading away some current players.