The Tennessee Titans‘ biggest mistake at the 2026 trade deadline was keeping Tony Pollard after selling Amani Hooker. They stopped halfway through their rebuild and kept a 29-year-old running back who can walk in free agency.
A Smart Hooker Deal, Then a Stall
Tennessee deserves credit for the Hooker trade. The Titans sent the safety and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Buffalo for a 2027 second-round pick. Hooker was tied for the NFL lead in interceptions, so the Titans sold at a high point. They also had already collected two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder from Chicago for Jeffery Simmons. The Titans now hold two first-round picks and two second-round picks in 2027.
General manager Mike Borgonzi said he had turned down Buffalo's Brandon Beane for a week before agreeing to a deal that “came together pretty fast.” The Titans clearly understood the value of selling. They just did not apply that logic to Pollard.
Why Pollard Should Have Moved
Pollard leads the Titans with 595 rushing yards and six touchdowns, and he is in the final year of a deal averaging $7.25 million per season. He ran for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns in back-to-back games heading into the deadline.
Interest was real. It was reported the Giants and Broncos were among the teams that called, and Tennessee planned to keep him despite the interest. If Pollard walks in March, as the Titans' own plan suggests he might, the compensation disappears. That would leave draft capital from teams like the Giants or Broncos “for nothing.”
The age matters too. Running backs decline quickly, and Pollard is in his age-29 season. A 1-7 team does not need a veteran to finish the year with 600 or 700 yards, because the Titans will not contend.
The Cam Ward Excuse Does Not Hold Up
Borgonzi said keeping Pollard was about his value to Cam Ward, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick. “Tony's a good player and we'd hate to lose him,” he said. The Titans' offense has struggled to protect Ward, and Pollard has been the most reliable part of it.
That is a reasonable argument for development, but it only goes so far. Ward needs a stable situation for 2027, and Pollard might not be part of it. The other veteran back, Tyjae Spears, is also an unrestricted free agent this spring and has just 66 rushing yards on 18 carries. The Titans could face a backfield with no clear starter in the spring.
Newsweek reported that none of the offers for Pollard were good enough to justify hurting the offense. That may be true. But Tennessee also kept Calvin Ridley, so the offense stayed mostly intact on a team that is not winning.
The Titans already did the hardest part by trading Simmons and Hooker. Moving Pollard would have been consistent with that plan and would have added another pick to a stockpile that Borgonzi can use to rebuild around Ward. Instead, the Titans hoped for a long-term deal that is not guaranteed, and they may pay for it in March.