Will Titans RB Julius Chestnut make the 53-man roster for a third straight season?
Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut is attempting to defy the odds for a third consecutive campaign.
Tennessee Titans running back Julius Chestnut has arguably written the team’s best underdog stories over the past two seasons. An undrafted free agent out of Sacred Heart in 2022, Chestnut defied the odds when he made the initial 53-man roster. The Bowie, Maryland native proved he wasn’t a one-year wonder by achieving the same in 2023.
The Titans underwent sweeping changes at running back this offseason. Franchise legend Derrick Henry signed with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency. Former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard was preferred to Henry as a better fit in new head coach Brian Callahan’s scheme.
Pollard and Tyjae Spears will form the one-two punch in Callahan’s new-look backfield. Randy Jordan is the new running backs position coach. The idea is for Pollard and Spears to be interchangeable talents in all down and distance situations. Both ball-carriers are capable pass-catchers, which should lead to less predictable usage.
A slew of running backs are competing for the No. 3 role. Chestnut and Hassan Haskins may be the front-runners. The Titans stuck by the former Michigan standout through his alleged off-field situation, indicating the franchise hasn’t given up on him. Both Chestnut and Haskins are experienced special teams players, which will be crucial to winning the spot behind Pollard and Spears.
The running back room got significantly more bloated during undrafted free agency. Titans general manager Ran Carthon acquired three more running backs. They are Dillon Johnson from Washington, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, Jabari Small, a local talent from the Tennessee Volunteers, and Jordan Terrell from Barton College.
