When Pollard signed in Tennessee from Dallas, the question was whether he could continue to be the main horse while keeping the explosive plays. The 28-year-old was able to notch his third consecutive 1,000-plus yard campaign, but as in his final year with the Cowboys, the explosive plays were down from his Pro Bowl campaign of 2022.
Last season, Pollard generated 13 rushes of 15-plus yards for a 26.1 breakaway percent, per Pro Football Focus. That’s up from 11 and 21.6 in 2023 but down from his career-high of 19 and 43% in 2022.
The idea is to curtail Pollard’s carries to keep him fresher in hopes of popping a few more big-play tracks. If Spears, who played just 12 games, stays healthy, and one of the bigger backs can show consistency — ideally, the rookie Mullings — it should take some of the wear off the seven-year pro. Pollard isn’t against sharing reps.
“Whatever way we can contribute to the success of the team,” Pollard said. “Getting more guys involved, keeping guys fresh, whatever it is that is going to keep us winning games and keep guys fresh throughout the season, it’s ideal.”