Can Tony Pollard Fill Derrick Henry’s Shoes For The Titans?

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has signed a new contract with the Tennessee Titans paying $24 million over three years. In an effort to replace long-time running back Derrick Henry who left for the Baltimore Ravens in free agency, the Titans picked up Pollard who has a proven track record as a starting running back in the league.

Pollard played last season with the Cowboys under the franchise tag, making more than $10 million as he was elevated to the lead role following the departure of Ezekiel Elliot. He had a slow start to the 2023 campaign following a fractured leg, but Pollard slowly found a rhythm as the season went on. He finished the year as the 12th leading rusher in the NFL with 1,005 regular season rushing yards with an average of four per carry along with only six touchdowns. Though playing in one less game the year before, Pollard’s 2022 stats as a backup in Dallas were just as strong, finishing with the same total yards and twice as many total touchdowns.

The Cowboys were reportedly still interested in keeping Pollard, but it couldn’t have been for the amount of money from the franchise tag or that given by the Titans. The New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings were also interested in him, but he chose the team that had the biggest hole in their running back room to fill.

Pollard’s new deal with Tennessee is a lower salary than he made with Dallas last year, but the three-year contract offers more safety and guaranteed money. The roughly $8 million he is set to make in 2023 is similar to the contract signed by D’Andre Swift and the Chicago Bears. And though $8 million might seem like a big price for a player like Pollard, his contract still sits behind the higher-than-league average deals for running backs like Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Nick Chubb, Jonathan Taylor and Aaron Jones.

As he comes to Tennessee in the wake of former MVP Henry, Pollard has big shoes to fill. He isn’t the same type of player physically, lacking three inches and almost 40 pounds compared to his predecessor, but the 6′, 209-pound former Cowboy has the necessary skills to be a top running back in the league. Unlike Henry, Pollard has shown throughout his career that he is a great pass catcher, with 39 catches in 2021 and 2022 followed by 55 receptions in 2023. Along with Pollard, the Titans also have their 2023 third-round draft pick Tyjae Spears, who had a total of 100 rushes for 453 yards last year.

In hopes of reclaiming the dominant run game that they have managed in the past, only time will tell if the addition of Pollard with Spears will prove beneficial for the Titans.