Cowboys Titans sign Tony Pollard to a three-year, $84 million contract; Derrick Henry’s future uncertain.

According to a source familiar with the situation, the Tennessee Titans have signed former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard to a hefty three-year contract worth $24 million, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on Monday.

This signing of Pollard represents a transition in the Titans’ running back landscape, implying that free agent Derrick Henry’s career with the team, which lasted eight seasons, is likely over.

Pollard’s performance has been impressive, with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. However, his path to 1,005 yards in 2023 was significantly more difficult than his Pro Bowl-worthy performance in 2022, when he accumulated 1,007 rushing yards.

Pollard, who turns 27 on April 30, had some hiccups last season, posting only one 100-yard game compared to four in 2022. Despite suffering a broken ankle in the 2022 playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, he returned for training camp and played every game of the season.

While Pollard’s production remained similar, the Dallas Cowboys’ running game saw a dip in overall effectiveness. Last season, Pollard struggled to secure a long-term contract with the Cowboys while operating on the $10.1 million franchise tag.

During his first three years with the team, Pollard was mostly a backup to Ezekiel Elliott. However, his ability to make impactful plays progressively earned him more playing time. In 2022,

Pollard had 31 rushes of at least 10 yards, which decreased to 21 the next season.

Pollard also demonstrated versatility as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, recording a career-high 55 receptions for 311 yards in 2023 after catching 39 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns the previous year.

With Pollard’s departure, the Cowboys are without a major running back, as their best backup, Rico Dowdle, enters unrestricted free agency.

While the team could go into free agency, they are hesitant to commit substantial financial resources to the position after investing much in Pollard and Elliott earlier. As a result, the Cowboys appear to have a better chance of succeeding through the draft.