The Dallas Cowboys could’ve used Tony Pollard last year, as he would’ve been a better option than Ezekiel Elliott to pair with Rico Dowdle. However, things worked out for the former Dallas running back who signed a three-year, $21 million contract last offseason with the Tennessee Titans.
Pollard entered last year as the Titans' RB1 and shouldered the workload on the ground with 1,079 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 260 carries (career-high?). He was also utilized in the passing game with 41 receptions (57 targets) for 238 yards.
After having high usage in his first year with the club, the former Cowboys running back might have his role reduced heading into this upcoming season, according to head coach Brian Callahan.
"In a perfect world, it's a healthier division of labor. … I like both of those players a lot. I think we could do a better job of managing that load so they both play a little more evenly,” Callahan said.
Tyjae Spears, who just wrapped up his second year with the Titans, didn’t get as many carries as Pollard did last season. The 23-year-old running back only had 312 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 84 carries (16 fewer carries than his rookie season).
Spears also saw significantly fewer targets in the passing game last season. He only had 30 receptions (35 targets) for 224 yards and a touchdown. In his rookie season, Spears had 52 receptions (70 targets) for 385 yards and a touchdown.
The 28-year-old Pollard has carried the ball 200-plus times in back-to-back seasons and has recorded 1,000-plus yards in three-straight seasons. The former Cowboys running back saw Elliott take a step back as he had a huge workload on the ground for multiple years. He likely doesn’t want the same thing to happen to him, given he’s only two years from 30, which isn’t a great number for a running back.
Therefore, a reduced workload or balanced split of carries wouldn’t be the worst idea for the former Cowboy, as it could keep him fresh throughout the season.