Robert Saleh Paints Pecking Order of Tennessee Titans' Running Back Room

Tennessee Titans' head coach Robert Saleh made his stance on the backfield pretty clear on Thursday.

As Titans reporter Jim Wyatt posted on X, Saleh said, “To be clear, Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are the bellcows on this football team,” while also noting rookie Nick Singleton is “a big back, fast, is learning.” That’s the expected June answer from a head coach with two established veterans in the room, especially when the rookie in question is a fifth-round pick.

I'm not fully buying what Saleh is selling – at least long term.

Pollard has earned that bellcow label, at least for the moment. He followed up his 1,079-yard 2024 campaign with 1,082 rushing yards in 2025, giving him back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with Tennessee. Last season, he handled 242 carries, averaged 4.5 yards per rush, scored five rushing touchdowns, and added 33 catches for 206 receiving yards. The advanced numbers may not always scream superstar, but the raw production has been stable, and stable matters.

Spears brings a different flavor to the room. He has shown real juice when healthy, and his ability to make defenders miss in space gives the Titans a clear change-of-pace option behind Pollard. Spears is also entering the final year of his rookie contract. That matters because expiring contracts always create at least some level of intrigue for other general managers, even if the Titans never seriously explore a move.

However, there are a few NFL teams that need some bodies in the backfield, and I'm sure GM Mike Borgonzi would love another low risk move to acquire more NFL draft assets.

Nick Singleton Still Packs Upside

That brings the focus back to Singleton, and this is where things get more fun. Tennessee drafted the former Penn State back in the fifth round, and while Saleh is not about to hand him a major role in June, Singleton's evolution as a pro is still worth tracking very closely.

He finished his Penn State career with 3,461 rushing yards and a program-record 45 rushing touchdowns, while adding 102 catches for 987 receiving yards and nine more scores through the air. That kind of production does not happen by accident.

Even his final college season still showed why evaluators stayed interested. Singleton rushed for 549 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2025 while catching 24 passes for 219 yards over 12 games. The rushing volume dipped, but the touchdown production stayed loud, and the receiving usage continued to show that he is not just some between-the-tackles grinder. The kid has real burst.

Plenty of Paths for Singleton to Play

Saleh can say Pollard and Spears are the bellcows today, and he should. But the NFL has a funny way of changing depth charts by September or October. Injuries happen. Roles change. Young players force the issue. That’s especially true at running back, where opportunity can appear out of nowhere and stick for weeks.

Singleton has the size, speed, and production background to become more than a stash. If he keeps progressing, there are reasonable paths to him becoming a meaningful contributor this season. And if not this year, he still looks like a player who could be in a very interesting spot entering 2027.

That’s why this is worth monitoring now. Pollard and Spears may be the bellcows today. Singleton could still matter a lot before this thing is over – or maybe before August ends. And if the Titans are competitive through the early stages of the season, maybe they'll keep all three for depth and constant fresh legs.

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