Titans Fired Up About Running Back Duo

Taking a look at the Tennessee Titans running back group.

Jan 7, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (32) celebrates / Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

NASHVILLE — Derrick Henry's move from the Tennessee Titans to the Baltimore Ravens was one of the least surprising moves of this offseason. The Ravens, with the addition of a powerful runner like Henry, are poised to create a formidable backfield alongside star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Similarly, in their rebuilding phase under first-year head coach Brian Callahan, the Titans are preparing to adapt to life without Henry.

The Titans offense is shifting away from Henry leading the league in carries to spreading the ball between running backs led by newly acquired Tony Pollard and second-year RB Tyjae Spears. 

Last season, Pollard recorded a career-high 252 carries, rushing for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns. Additionally, he achieved a career-best with 55 receptions for 311 yards. New Titans running back coach Randy Jordan is excited about working with Pollard. 

"I love his skill set," Jordan told AllTitans.com. "He can catch the ball, run it, and protect the quarterback. He's got an all-around skill set where he can play on all three downs."

Spears rushed for 453 yards and two touchdowns on 100 carries in his rookie season and had 52 receptions for 385 yards and a touchdown.

Titans general manager Ran Carthon couldn't hide his zeal for Spears when reporters asked him about the former Tulane star during the NFL Combine. 

"Tyjae's one of those guys that's always in the building," Carthon said. "I know there were a lot of concerns about his knee coming out, and that was the big question this time of year and after we drafted him. But we're talking about a guy that never missed a practice, never missed a game. And he's, for lack of a better way to put it, he's made of the right (stuff). And those are the type of guys that we want to have in our program."

Jordan believes the combination of Spears and Pollard will be fun for Titans fans to watch this season. 

"I love the fact that opposing defenses will have a hard time scheming against us because you can't predict what we're going to do since they have similar skill sets," Jordan said. 

Another element Jordan highlighted was how both backs can catch.

"It's very important in today's NFL to have the ability to get touches," Jordan said. "It's not only about handing the ball to them. It's about the opportunities to catch the ball out of the backfield. That's a touch. I tell them it's about touches. If you have ten carries and five catches, that's 15 touches. In today's NFL, it's about the touches."

Jordan also emphasized the importance of developing a third running back. Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut are returners from last season, and the team added undrafted free agents Dillon Johnson and Jabari Small last week. 

"It's a marathon, not a sprint," Jordan said. "When you're playing that volume of football, you need not two guys but three. We have some good depth, and the biggest thing is we're getting better daily."

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