NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Titans to replace four-time Pro Bowl running back Henry Derrick with Tony Pollard.
Tennessee general manager Ran Carthon began his rebuild Monday on the first day of the NFL negotiating period. People familiar with the deals spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because free agents cannot officially sign until Wednesday, when new league year starts.
The first big move came when he replaced Henry with Pollard. he and him Titans agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract, a person familiar with the deal told the AP.
The Titans also worked to shore up their secondary and strengthen the middle of the offensive line.
They agreed to a three-year, $36 million contract with Cincinnati cornerback Chidobe Awuzie with $23 million guaranteed, another person familiar with that contract told the AP. Denver center Lloyd Cushenberry has agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract with $26 million guaranteed, another person familiar with that deal confirmed to the AP.
The recruited titans running back Tyjae Spears last season, and he was Henry's backup. The eight-year veteran, who turned 30 in January, is set to hit free agency on Wednesday for the first time in his career.
pollarded tree, 26, was a fourth-round pick by Dallas in 2019 out of Memphis. He has had consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Jeans wearing franchise tag on Pollard for the 2023 season. The Cowboys declined to tag Pollard for the second straight season.
He rushed for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns and also had a career-high 55 receptions for 311 yards in 2023. Pollard has 3,621 career rushing yards on 762 carries, averaging 4.8 per career. He also has 176 receptions for 1,319 yards and five touchdowns.
Henry led the NFL in carries with 280 and trailed only the 49ers' Christian McCaffrey in rushing yards in 2023.
He is one of only eight players to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a season and is tied for 13th in NFL history with 90 rushing touchdowns. He falls short of Eddie George's franchise rushing mark of 10,009 yards.
Awuzie will meet new Titans coach Brian Callahan after spending the last three seasons in Cincinnati when Callahan was the Bengals' offensive coordinator. Awuzie, who began his NFL career in Dallas as the 60th overall pick out of Colorado in 2017, has started 74 of 86 games.
He has six career interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pound Cushenberry will be a big upgrade in size over undrafted free agent Aaron Brewer. He was one of only three Titans to start every game in 2023. Cushenberry was a third-round pick out of LSU in 2020 and started all 57 games he played in Denver.
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
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