Latest NFL news directly impacts Titans’ decision on Tony Pollard’s future ahead of NFL free agency

Will Tony Pollard be a Titan in 2026? What happens with the rest of the league in free agency this month may be the deciding factor.

Easton Freeze — Tennessee Titans Beat Writer
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The Tennessee Titans have a handful of key positions that don’t technically need addressing this offseason.

This roster needs a lot of work. And GM Mike Borgonzi doesn’t have a league-leading $100 million in cap space to spend because there are a lot of existing contracts staying on the books this fall. But a handful of veterans added under previous regimes are riding the line of uncertainty, and RB Tony Pollard is amongst them.

The two-year Titans starter turns 29 this year, and an up-and-down statistical season in 2025 has people unsure of whether the team will take the off-ramp built into his contract this spring. But with free agency cresting the horizon and moves around the league already being put into motion, it seems the Titans may have this decision made for them to an extent in the coming days.

Javonte Williams leads off free agency signings that shrink Titans’ options

The first official domino of the RB free agency market fell on Saturday as it was reported the Cowboys were signing Javonte Williams to a 3 year, $24 million deal.

Williams was amongst the upper-crust of a decent group of free agent running backs, at least on paper. Remaining top names include Kenneth Walker, Breece Hall, and Tyler Allgeier.

I think Titans fans are in for a rude awakening when the dust settles on these skill positions at the opening bell of free agency on March 11th. There’s often a big difference between the annual list of players set to hit free agency and those who actually hit it.

Williams is now off the table. The latest out of New York is that Breece Hall is expected to be franchise tagged, though that’s yet to be confirmed. In Seattle, Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker is reportedly not going to be franchise or transition tagged by the Seahawks due to the price of both of those options. Seattle has a handful of key free agent decisions to make, and they’ve got to pay that sweet, sweet Super Bowl tax on these players if they want to keep them. That being said, I remain convinced Walker will stay in Seattle. Since when are teams letting their 25 year old Super Bowl MVP’s hit the open market? The playoff loss of RB Zach Charbonnet to an ACL only further solidifies his fate in my opinion.

So in short, I don’t think Hall, Walker, or Williams will be on the market next month. The next tier of free agent options is Travis Etienne, Tyler Allgeier, Rico Dowdle, and J.K. Dobbins. The latest buzz on this group makes it seem much more likely they hit the open market, but if you ask me, 25 year old Tyler Allgeier is the only one who intrigues me as a one-for-one alternative to Tony Pollard.

Reminder: Pollard is still under contract! He’s entering his third and final season on a 3 year, $21.75 million deal. He costs $9.25 million against the cap in 2026 if they don’t touch his contract, which is on the high end for a RB. But Tennessee has more cap room than they know what to do with right now, and Pollard has been one of the steadiest members of this football team through two straight seasons of hell.

Since taking over as a lead back in 2022 for Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas, Pollard has been one of the league’s steadiest annual 1,000+ yard rushers. He lost favor with Titans fans in the middle of the 2025 season when his rushing totals and efficiency hit a serious lull. But he righted the ship and finished the year very strong, which in hindsight, feels like a story of a terrible team unwilling and unable to run the ball through the middle of their campaign. This offensive line found it’s stride as the fall turned to winter and they got some continuity under their belts, and Pollard’s production trended up with the trench play. He still finished the year with over 1,000 yards at 4.5 yards per carry.

In the end, I know this team wants to upgrade the RB position. But they have to weigh that as a want vs a need. In an offseason with so many needs, replacing a serviceable starter under contract feels less important in the grand scheme. Perhaps a key free agent option is who this front office is eyeing to be their upgrade, and there’s no doubt they have the money to go get whoever they’d like. But will their guy even reach March 11th without re-signing with his team? I kind of doubt it.

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