The Cincinnati Bengals could use some consistency in their running game to say the least. They haven't had much of that during the Joe Burrow era since Joe Mixon's heyday ended.
Well, who better than the man who could single-handedly keep the Tennessee Titans in earshot of an upset on Sunday when they face the Bengals at Paycor Stadium?
That's right. We're talking about Titans tailback Tony Pollard. Had to with the alliteration there. Pollard might be the most underrated, consistent ball-carrier in the entire NFL. And now that the Titans have traded Jeffery Simmons, it seems like another deal for one of their other core players could go down in the coming days or weeks.
Tony Pollard is just what the Bengals need for a complete offense
I was among the many Who Dey Heads who was optimistic about Chase Brown's trajectory coming into 2026. He hadn't given much reason to doubt. Alas, Brown is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, and to me, doesn't create enough yards after contact.
Both Brown and his backup Samaje Perine are on expiring contracts. Same goes for Tony Pollard, but he's also pacing for his fifth straight 1,000-yard rushing season.
Since the Titans got such a haul for Simmons from Chicago (namely two first-round picks), they should be content to let Pollard loose with an early Day 3 pick or thereabouts. Seems well worth the price for the Bengals given that they have a bottom-three rushing offense.
Pollard is plenty capable of catching the ball out of the backfield, too. He just hasn't been able to show it much since landing in Tennessee in 2023 due to horrid quarterback play.
For Pollard to average 4.3 yards per carry this season with Cam Ward as his QB is quite a staggering achievement. Imagine what Pollard could do in Cincy with Joe Burrow and the Bengals' elite passing attack to complement him.
I'm not the only one who's thinking Pollard to Cincinnati is an ideal fit as we head into this Titans matchup in Week 8.
Tony Pollard just want to stay in Cincinnati after Sunday after Duke and Borgonzi agree to a Day-3 pick swap in their pregame chat during warmups??
— Andre Perrotta (@andreperrotta13) October 29, 2026
There’s a real chance that Tony Pollard fits the Bengals offense better than Jonathan Taylor.
— Drew Garrison (@DrewGarrison) October 30, 2026
Assuming they don’t keep trying to force the under center issue. @TicTacTitans What’s the price to just not have him fly back to Nashville this week?
Jonathan Taylor is atop my Bengals trade deadline big board as far as running back trades go. It helps that he's signed for another two seasons after this one. Tampa Bay's Kenny Gainwell is my No. 2 option, and his contract runs through 2027.
I believe Gainwell could be had for roughly the same price as Pollard. Either one would make me happy that the Bengals front office did something to try to get this running game sparked.
If we're not going to run heavier personnel or, I don't know, call up some unsung hero from the practice squad, help needs to come from outside the building. Otherwise, I'm not sure the Bengals are balanced enough offensively to win the Super Bowl. And that's the endgame.
Is Tony Pollard the final piece of the puzzle? We'll see. Should he ball out on Sunday against Cincy's vulnerable run defense, maybe Duke Tobin won't be able to help himself but pick up the phone and try to pull off a deal.
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