Relying solely on Tony Pollard left Cam Ward vulnerable. Now, a reinforced backfield featuring Nick Singleton and Michael Carter aims to balance the offense and ignite a postseason push.
If you were a running back on the Tennessee Titans last year, not named Tony Pollard, you didn't contribute much to the backfield last season.
That's going to need to change as the Titans look to go from 3-14 to a playoff contender.
Pollard led the way with 1,082 rushing yards. The next best running back on the roster was Tyjae Spears, who had 283 rushing yards after missing four games due to injury. Quarterback Cam Ward (159) had more rushing yards than Julius Chestnut, who contributed 40.
Pollard is doing his part to continue the great running-back legacy the Titans have become known for. From Eddie George to Chris Johnson to Derrick Henry and now Pollard, the Titans have had dynamic players at running back in their history.
Pollard and Henry are the only current NFL running backs who have had four-straight 1,000-yard seasons.
Luckily for the Titans, Pollard's contract doesn't run out until 2027. However, more consistency is needed at running back.
Spears is back as well, as he is in the last year of his rookie deal with the franchise.
Before the 2026 NFL Draft, the Titans had Pollard, Spears, Kalel Mullings, Chestnut and Blake Watson in the running back room.
Now, the Titans have since added Michael Carter in free agency and drafted Nick Singleton out of Penn State.
Carter and Singleton look to be competing for the No. 3 spot in the backfield behind Spears and Pollard. What Robert Saleh said at Thursday's press conference confirmed it.
Whether it's Singleton or Carter as the third option in the backfield this season, with a young quarterback like Ward, the running game will need to improve.
Ward can do a lot of great things as a quarterback. We witnessed how good he can be multiple times last season.
Regardless, he can't carry the offense by himself.
Averaging 93.5 rushing yards per game put a lot of pressure on the young QB, and it can't be allowed to happen again in 2026.
Ward already had a disappointing cast of receivers as a rookie. His starters at the beginning of the season were Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson.
The Titans did improve the receivers this offseason, giving Ward Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate, but they can only do so much if the running game stalls again.
Ward finished with 3,169 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season.
Imagine what he could do now that he has more competent receivers to throw to, and if the running game could take the pressure off him as he continues to grow into his potential.
Some quarterbacks in this league can carry an offense by themselves, but with a young gunslinger like Ward, you need to have a reliable running game to make things easier on him.
That way, he can keep improving and not try to do too much on offense. Titans' fans got plenty of that with Will Levis, who found more and more creative ways to turn the football over early in his NFL career because of it.
Giving Ward more receivers was a step in the right direction. Now, the Titans need to complement him with a better running game this season.
