Nick Singleton's Titans Training Camp Performance Forces Tennessee to Rethink Running Back Future

Tennessee Titans fifth-round draft pick Nick Singleton is turning heads at training camp, and the timing couldn't be more significant for a franchise facing major roster decisions at running back. With both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears playing on expiring contracts, Singleton's strong early showing is forcing the front office to confront a question that was supposed to wait until next year: Is the future already here?

Singleton, the former Penn State standout selected 165th overall in April's draft, arrived in Nashville with modest expectations typical of a mid-round running back. But his performances during joint practices with the San Francisco 49ers and throughout camp have consistently impressed coaches and beat reporters alike. The 6-foot, 219-pound back brings a rare combination of size, burst, and four years of high-level college experience to a Tennessee backfield that, despite having two capable veterans ahead of him, lacks true explosiveness.

The contract situation adds urgency to evaluating Singleton's readiness. Pollard signed a three-year, $24 million deal when he joined the Titans from Dallas in 2024, but that contract expires after this season. Spears, drafted in the third round in 2023, is also in his final contract year with the team. Neither has established themselves as an unquestioned workhorse back, and both have dealt with durability concerns during their tenures in Tennessee.

What Makes Singleton Different

Scouting reports from the draft process highlighted Singleton's four-year starting pedigree at Penn State, where he was one of the most productive backs in the Big Ten despite playing through a broken foot suffered at the Senior Bowl. His experience sets him apart from typical fifth-round picks — he's not a developmental prospect learning the position, but rather a polished player who scouts believed fell due to injury concerns and a loaded running back class rather than lack of talent.

Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi praised Singleton's college resume at draft time, noting that he "basically started there four years" and accumulated significant snap counts against elite competition. That experience is showing up in camp, where Singleton has reportedly demonstrated strong vision, contact balance, and an understanding of pass protection that rookie backs often take months to develop.

The burst that Titans coaches coveted is also evident. Multiple reports from camp have described Singleton hitting the second level with speed that neither Pollard nor Spears consistently displays. In a NFL where explosive plays increasingly separate good offenses from great ones, that dimension matters. The Titans ranked in the bottom third of the league in runs of 10-plus yards last season, a deficit that limited play-action effectiveness and kept defenses from respecting deep shots.

The Awkward Timing for Pollard and Spears

For Pollard, a productive camp and season were supposed to set up a contract extension or at least establish his value on the 2027 free agent market. Instead, he's watching a rookie who makes a fraction of his $7.25 million annual salary generate the kind of buzz that raises uncomfortable questions. Pollard rushed for over 1,000 yards in his final season with Dallas, but his 2025 performance in Tennessee was solid rather than spectacular, averaging 4.2 yards per carry with limited explosive runs.

Spears faces a similar predicament. The third-round pick was brought in to be a complementary back who could spell the starter and contribute in the passing game, and he's fulfilled that role adequately. But "adequate" doesn't command second contracts in today's NFL, especially when a younger, cheaper alternative emerges. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, Spears lacks the size to be a true workhorse, and his career rushing average of 4.3 yards per carry suggests he's more replacement-level than difference-maker.

History isn't kind to running backs on expiring deals who suddenly have to compete with younger talent. Teams rarely pay to keep multiple backs when one is performing at a high level on a rookie contract. If Singleton continues to impress in preseason games and earns legitimate touches early in the regular season, the Titans could find themselves with a luxury problem: three backs who can play, but only enough snaps and money to justify keeping two.

What to Watch in Preseason

The next three preseason games will be telling. If Singleton gets consistent second-team reps and shows well against NFL defenses, it signals the coaching staff views him as more than just insurance. If he gets touches with the first team — even in garbage time of preseason finales — it's a stronger statement about his trajectory.

The Titans' first regular season game is six weeks away. That's enough time for Singleton to solidify his case as the team's most explosive back, but not enough time for Pollard or Spears to fundamentally change what they are. Tennessee will enter the season with three backs, but the training camp performances are making it increasingly clear that by next March, when contract decisions must be made, the depth chart might look very different.

For a fifth-round pick who wasn't expected to contribute meaningfully as a rookie, Singleton is doing something remarkable: He's making himself impossible to ignore. And in the process, he's forcing the Titans to accelerate their timeline at a position where they thought they had answers for at least one more year.