The first wave of NFL free agency in 2026 is officially in the books, and the Tennessee Titans put their plethora of cap space to use. Despite the many new additions to the team, they still have a few positions that, at best, look questionable as we approach the NFL Draft.
EDGE is maybe the most glaring of them, as Jermaine Johnson qualifies as the biggest addition there, while Arden Key signed with the Indianapolis Colts. The interior of the offensive line also looks rough right now, as they currently have no players under contract at RG and C who look like viable starters.
Most other positions on the roster do not feature as dire of needs, but some still have room to address, especially when considering Cam Ward's development. Running back is one of those positions, and it is a bit surprising that nothing has been done there given the obvious opportunity to upgrade.
Titans should make changes to RB room before 2026 season starts
The Titans came into the offseason with -- and still have -- the opportunity to cut Tony Pollard before June 1 and save $7.5M in cap space for 2026. Mike Borgonzi has not execrised that option, and that in itself is fine, but he would be unwise to simply run it back with Pollard and Tyjae Spears as the main duo.
The Titans run game was ineffective for much of last year, and throughout that time, it seemed all but certain that they would make serious changes this offseason. They got much better in December and Pollard finished with 1,000-plus rushing yards for the fourth straight year, but questions remain regarding whether or not that is a continued expectation moving forward.
Pollard has had four straight years as an NFL starter, which is about how long the usual shelf life is for RB's. His workload has been especially significant in the latter three of those four years, and knowing his wear and tear and performance throughout most of 2025, he is likely not getting much better going into his age-29 season.
Spears is super dynamic and a big play waiting to happen every time he touches the ball, so much so that he was one of the NFL's best players in 2025 when it came to breaking tackles after the catch.
While nobody was watching the Titans, Tyjae Spears quietly tied Bijan Robinson for most Missed Tackles Forced after the catch in 2025 (26)... He had just 45 Receptions to Bijan's 79.
— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) February 2, 2026
He had more MTF than Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan, and Christian McCaffrey who all had 77+ receptions 👀 pic.twitter.com/q7jW25l2eI
The issue with him, however, has always been durability. The Titans cannot give Spears a starter's workload and expect him to stay healthy for more than a few games.
The current setup would result in Pollard getting the lion's share of the carries again, and that is assuming Spears does not get injured. As mentioned, there are serious questions regarding how much Pollard himself has left in the tank, which could leave the ground game with serious limitations in 2026.
Doing nothing to the RB room up to this point is one of several indications that the Titans may be preparing to select Jeremiyah Love with the fourth overall pick. Free agency options have dwindled up to this point, so if they want to make any meaningful changes to their RB room, the draft is the only possible way.
Selecting Love could turn the position into a legitimate strength, as Pollard could become a more complimentary guy in a one-two punch, and Spears could be more of a third down and change of pace guy who could also catch passes out of the slot.
Whether the Titans draft Love or go another route, they should use the plenty of remaining cap space and time they have during the offseason to upgrade their ground game.