Tony Pollard

Cowboys Plan To Either Extend Or Tag RB Tony Pollard

March 3rd, 2023 at 7:35pm CST by Ely Allen

The thinking around the Cowboys’ running back situation has been largely counterintuitive so far this offseason. There has been a relative certainty that pending free agent Tony Pollard will remain a Cowboy, while Ezekiel Elliott, who is under contract through 2027, is not considered a guarantee to remain on the roster. A recent statement by Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones supports one of those statements as he claims “Pollard isn’t going anywhere,” according to Jon Machota of The Athletic.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network was the first to report on the matter, tweeting that Dallas will franchise tag Pollard if the two parties are unable to reach a long-term agreement by the Tuesday deadline. Jones made the team’s intentions clear, confirming that, whether it’s an extension or a franchise tag, Pollard is “a big part” of the team’s plans.

Pollard has long excited Dallas with his potential as a franchise back. Since joining the team in 2019, Pollard has averaged more yards per attempt than Elliott in every season. While it felt like a possibility every year, in 2022, Pollard finally outgained Elliott 1,007 rushing yards to 876 rushing yards despite Elliott out-carrying Pollard by 38 carries. Pollard has averaged over five yards per carry in each of the past two seasons, while Elliott averaged 3.8 last year.

Elliott hasn’t been bad in Dallas while Pollard has started to reach his full potential, but after leading the league in rushing yards per game in each of his first three seasons and reaching at least 1,350 rushing yards in three of his first four years (was on pace in his sophomore season but only played 10 games), Elliott’s play has failed to reach such stellar heights as of late. After averaging a career-best 108.7 yards per game in his rookie year, Elliott has averaged 65.3, 58.9, and 58.4 yards per game in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively.

Despite the diminished results and the emergence of Pollard, Jones maintains that he “very much wants” Elliott to remain a Cowboy, according to Machota, stating that he believes the team can make it work financially. If that’s true, the Cowboys are likely going to need to do some financial gymnastics. Elliott is due $10.9MM in base salary next year with a cap hit of $16.72MM. A tag for Pollard would hit Dallas for another $10.1MM.

Elliott has reportedly voiced a potential willingness to take a pay cut in order to remain with the team. A new deal for Pollard would allow the Cowboys to backload the contract and make the first few years of his deal relatively affordable for the team, as well. There are many ways to make this work moving forward, but one has to wonder if it will be worth it. A pay cut for Elliott likely doesn’t relieve the Cowboys of a financial burden. Does Elliott still provide enough benefit on the field to warrant squeezing him into the salary cap?

According to Jones, the answer to that question is “yes.” The longtime Cowboys executive wants to keep both Pollard and Elliott around moving forward. He will have to work some salary cap magic in order to do so without hamstringing his franchise financially.

Cowboys Aim To Add Another Weapon; Team Eyeing Extensions For CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs

March 3rd, 2023 at 11:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys have Michael Gallup entering the second year of his five-year extension, and the team’s No. 2 wide receiver is now more than a year removed from his ACL tear. The team is also expected to use the franchise tag to keep Tony Pollard off the market. But it is eyeing an addition to its skill-position corps as well.

Dallas will pursue a “dynamic weapon” this offseason, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News notes. This will naturally reconnect the Cowboys to Odell Beckham Jr., but Gehlken cautions nothing is imminent there. The addition could also come in the draft.

It also might come at tight end, as Dalton Schultz is likely to leave in free agency. Headlined by Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer and Utah’s Dalton Kincaid, this tight class is viewed as the best in many years. Both those options could well be gone by the time the Cowboys’ No. 26 overall pick arrives. This draft’s receiver class is not viewed as highly, at least compared to the past few, and Stephen Jones‘ comments of the team readying to use the franchise tag almost certainly point to Pollard being the recipient. It would cost just $10.1MM for the Cowboys to keep Pollard. It would be the sixth straight year in which Dallas has used the tag.

As far as veteran receivers go, Beckham headlines a free agency crop not viewed glowingly. It would be interesting to see the Cowboys pay Gallup, tag Pollard and spend on another wide receiver. The team also has designs on extending CeeDee Lamb, with Jones indicating (via the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins) both he and Trevon Diggs are in the team’s long-term plans.

Lamb’s fifth-year option will be picked up, Gehlken adds, as could be expected given his status as a cornerstone player for the team. This would lock in Lamb through 2024, with his price rising next year. Without a fifth-year option available regarding Diggs, a second-round pick, the Cowboys will soon see their top cornerback enter a contract year.

Beyond Beckham, the market stands to include JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jakobi Meyers, DJ Chark and Allen Lazard. Michael Thomas also looks to be available, but the former Saints All-Pro has missed much of the past three seasons. At close to his best, Beckham would qualify as a dynamic weapon. He showed that during the Rams’ 2021 Super Bowl run, one that included an explosive Beckham Super Bowl LVI start before his ACL tear. Beckham did not play last season, healing the second of his two ACL tears sustained during the 2020s, and will turn 31 during the 2023 slate. The Cowboys, Rams and Giants are expected to resume their pursuits of the eight-year veteran, and while Dallas was viewed as the favorite during the late-season sweepstakes, this will be one of the harder price projections to make in recent free agency history.

The Cowboys ended up selling low on Amari Cooper, collecting late-round picks from the Browns for their former No. 1 receiver, and Gallup did not show his previous form after returning from the December 2021 ACL tear. Third-round pick Jalen Tolbert did not acclimate as quickly as the team hoped, Gehlken adds. The South Alabama alum did not see much action last season, and the Cowboys cut James Washington not long after he recovered from his summer foot fracture. Lamb, Gallup and Tolbert are the top receivers under contract; six-year Cowboy Noah Brown is also a free agent. Gallup also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery a few weeks ago but is expected to be ready for OTAs.

Cowboys target Brandin Cooks is again available via trade, though the Texans’ new price point remains to be seen, but Gehlken adds the team is not close on trading for a pass catcher. DeAndre Hopkins joins Cooks in being on the trade block. Jonathan Gannon stopped short of guaranteeing Hopkins will be a Cardinal in 2023, Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com notes, and the former All-Pro’s 2022 PED suspension voided his no-trade clause.

Dallas’ recent big skill-position swings have moved the needle significantly. Cooper made two Pro Bowls as a Cowboy and reeled off three 1,000-yard seasons, while Lamb — chosen after Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy but before Justin Jefferson — broke through for a career-high 1,359 yards and nine touchdown catches in 2022. It appears a serious effort to complement Lamb and Pollard will commence soon.

Cowboys Unlikely To Re-Sign Dalton Schultz

February 24th, 2023 at 12:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

A key Dak Prescott target for years, Dalton Schultz did not have the opportunity to test free agency last year. The veteran Cowboys tight end likely will in March.

It is believed the Cowboys will not be ready to pay Schultz enough to keep him from hitting the market and ultimately leaving town, Todd Archer of ESPN.com notes. With a modest wide receiver crop set to become free agents, Schultz stands to be one of the top pass catchers available.

It would cost the Cowboys just more than $13MM to tag Schultz again, but the team is believed to be preparing to tag Tony Pollard. The Pro Bowl running back is indeed squarely on the tag radar, Archer confirms. The running back tag being only $10.1MM — the second-lowest tag figure — makes that a more appealing solution for teams with upper-echelon backs nearing free agency. Teams have until 3pm CT March 7 to tag players. The Cowboys negotiated with Schultz ahead of last year’s deadline; contract length stood as one of the issues that impeded an agreement.

Schultz, 26, did not match his 2021 production but served as CeeDee Lamb‘s top complement down the stretch for the 12-5 team. Upon returning from an early-season knee injury, Schultz struggled to develop a rapport with Cooper Rush. But the former fourth-round pick posted two two-touchdown games during the season’s second half. His 38.5 receiving yards per game, however, ranked 12th among tight ends last season. Schultz, who became needed as a post-Jason Witten option after Blake Jarwin found injuries too difficult to surmount, topped that number in 2021 — an 808-yard, eight-touchdown season that led the Cowboys to tag him.

Schultz’s 2021 numbers, at full strength and with Prescott fully available, will likely entice teams. Both tight ends that played last season on the tag — Schultz and the Dolphins’ Mike Gesicki — are expected to hit the market. Gesicki is coming off a bigger production decrease compared to Schultz. Evan Engram is on track for free agency as well, but the Jaguars have the tag as a weapon to prevent that. Engram not reaching free agency would help Schultz and Gesicki, thinning the talent pool at the position. Austin Hooper, Hayden Hurst and Robert Tonyan are also free agents-to-be.

The Cowboys used a fourth-round pick on Jake Ferguson last year, and Archer adds the team is fond of three-year backup Sean McKeon. Ferguson led all other Dallas tight ends with 174 yards last season. If Schultz leaves, the Cowboys should be expected to eye a cheaper replacement in free agency or seek more help in what is viewed as a tight end-rich draft. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah called it the best tight end class in a decade (Twitter link).

2023 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 16th, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to begin its fourth decade of existence, the franchise tag remains a valuable tool for teams to keep top free agents off the market. This year’s tag window opens at 3pm CT on Feb. 21 and closes at 3pm CT on March 7. The NFL released its franchise tag figures — regarding the non-exclusive tag, at least, which will apply to all but one possible tag recipient — earlier this month, and teams are busy budgeting for free agency.

The legal tampering period opens March 13, with the new league year (and official free agency) starting March 15. Once a player is tagged, he has until July 15 to sign an extension with his respective team. Absent an extension agreement by that date, the player must play the 2023 season on the tag (or go the Le’Veon Bell/Dan Williams/Sean Gilbert route, passing on guaranteed money and skipping the season).

With high-profile free agents weeks away from hitting the market, here are the players who figure to be tagged or at least generate conversations about a tag ahead of the March 7 deadline.

Locks

Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens)

One of the most obvious tag candidates since the tag’s 1993 debut, Jackson has been extension-eligible since January 2021. He and the Ravens went through negotiations in 2021 and 2022, negotiating into the season two years ago and stopping talks before Week 1 — a Jackson mandate — of last season. The self-represented quarterback has declined multiple Ravens offers in this span and failed to finish a season for the second straight year. The endless extension drama and rumblings of team frustration about Jackson’s failure to return from an ankle injury aside, the team will tag the former MVP.

Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta said last month he had not decided on using the exclusive or non-exclusive tag — the former preventing teams from talking to the QB, the latter opening the door to offer sheets — but a recent report suggested the team is more likely to roll the dice by using the non-exclusive tag. This would allow another team to sign to Jackson, 25, to the fully guaranteed deal he covets (in a transaction that could send two first-round picks Baltimore’s way) but also hit the Ravens with just a $32.4MM cap hit.

With the Browns collecting three first-rounders and change for Deshaun Watson, the Ravens would almost definitely want more than the two-first-rounder haul attached as baseline compensation for franchise tag offer sheets. But an exclusive QB tag is expected to check in beyond $45MM; this would severely restrict the Ravens in free agency.

The Browns’ Watson extension changed the game for the Ravens, creating a potentially unbridgeable guarantee gap. Jackson has long been connected to seeking a deal north of Watson’s $230MM fully guaranteed; the Ravens offered $133MM guaranteed at signing last year. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti spoke out against the Browns giving Watson that money, and tag-and-trade scenarios involving the top quarterback in Ravens history have entered the equation. It will be a fascinating offseason in Baltimore, even after DeCosta and John Harbaugh expressed hope Jackson can be extended.

Likely tag recipients

Orlando Brown Jr., T (Chiefs)

Criticized by some for turning down the Chiefs’ six-year, $139MM extension offer in July 2022, Brown stayed healthy this season and earned another Pro Bowl nod. The mammoth left tackle is 2-for-2 in Pro Bowls as a Chief, and although he is not quite a top-tier blindsider, he would be one of this year’s top free agents if permitted to hit the market. The Super Bowl champions are not expected to let that happen. A second Brown tag would come in at $19.99MM, being 120% of his 2022 salary.

Brown, 26, cited insufficient guarantees in the Chiefs’ July proposal, which contained $38MM guaranteed at signing and $52.25MM guaranteed in total. The total guarantee figure trailed only ex-Ravens teammate Ronnie Stanley among tackles, while the full guarantee would have placed Brown fourth at the position. Brown turning down that proposal brought risk, and some in the Chiefs organization expressed frustration with the talented blocker. But the former Ravens right tackle’s bet on himself still appears to be paying off. This will be a crucial offseason for the Chiefs and Brown. A third tag — 144% of Brown’s 2023 salary — in 2024 would be viewed as untenable, sending him to free agency on the Kirk Cousins/Trumaine Johnson path. That makes July 15 a fairly firm deadline for Brown and the Chiefs.

Josh Jacobs, RB (Raiders)

After Las Vegas’ new regime passed on Jacobs’ fifth-year option, he became the first Raider to win the rushing title since Marcus Allen in 1985. Jacobs led the NFL in touches in 2022 (393) but was never a primary ball-carrier at Alabama; the former first-round pick should still have some tread on his tires. Running back extensions have become popular but divisive in recent years. While Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara and (for now) Ezekiel Elliott are attached to deals worth at least $15MM per year, the Raiders can tag Jacobs at just $10.1MM.

Jacobs, 24, has expressed a desire to stay in Nevada, and Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler want to continue this partnership as well. With many quality running backs on track for free agency, new deals could be finalized before the Raiders become serious about Jacobs negotiations. Whether that happens this year or not, the former first-round pick is unlikely to reach the market.

Daron Payne, DT (Commanders)

After early-offseason extension rumblings, the Commanders did not move too far in this direction last year. They re-upped Terry McLaurin and let Payne play out a contract year. But Payne turned 2022 into a platform campaign that stands to make him one of this year’s top free agents. The Commanders are soon to have $26MM in additional cap space, by moving on from Carson Wentz, and the team will likely give strong consideration to keeping Payne off the market. The defensive tackle tag costs $18.94MM. Washington has begun Payne talks, but those are still in the early stages.

Washington has some mouths to feed on its defensive line, with both Montez Sweat and Chase Young now extension-eligible. The team already paid Payne’s Alabama and Washington D-tackle teammate, Jonathan Allen, and drafted another Crimson Tide interior rusher (Phidarian Mathis) in Round 2 last year. Mathis went down in Week 1, and Payne broke through for an 11.5-sack, 18-TFL season. A tag here is not an open-and-shut tag case, but it would be a tough blow for the Commanders to see their sack leader walk. Regrouping with Payne, 25, would make more sense, especially with the team not preparing to spend big at quarterback this offseason.

Tony Pollard, RB (Cowboys)

Seeming likelier by the week, a Pollard tag would keep an emerging playmaker with a light career workload in the fold. The Cowboys are believed to be strongly considering a tag here, even with Ezekiel Elliott‘s bloated contract on the books. Elliott taking less to stay — it would need to be a lot less — has already been floated, opening the door for his better-performing (in recent years, at least) backup to stick around on the $10.1MM number or via an extension.

It would be strange to tag a backup, but Pollard, 25, is essentially a Dallas starter. He matched Elliott with 12 touchdowns in 2022 and smashed his career-high scrimmage yards number with 1,378. Pollard’s 631 career touches rank just 24th among backs since 2019, pointing to a few prime years remaining on the horizon. With Elliott’s cap number near certain to move down from its present $16.7MM place and Pollard not at risk of seeing his fractured fibula affect his 2023 availability, the former fourth-round find should be back in Dallas.

The Giants’ decision

Daniel Jones, QB

Passing on Jones’ fifth-year option — an understandable decision, given Jones’ first three seasons — leads the Giants to one of the more interesting free agency quandaries in recent memory. After making Saquon Barkley a higher priority regarding in-season extension talks, Big Blue’s new regime has come around on Jones. The former No. 6 overall pick piloting the Giants to the divisional round for the first time in 11 years transformed his value from where it was entering the season, and GM Joe Schoen all but assured the fifth-year passer will be back with the team in 2023. Will that be on a long-term deal or via the tag?

If the Giants and Jones, 25, cannot find common ground before March 7, the tag will likely come out. The team encountered this situation with Leonard Williams in 2021 and tagged the trade acquisition for a second time. That preceded a monster extension. The Giants probably should be careful here, with two late-season matchups against a porous Vikings defense boosting Jones’ value — to the $35MM-per-year range. But the team also should be eager to see Jones in Brian Daboll‘s offense and surrounded by better pass catchers.

Saquon Barkley, RB

A Giants team that battled injuries and bad investments at wide receiver relied on Barkley for much of 2022. Losing the two-time Pro Bowler for nothing will bring considerable risk. Jones sitting atop the Giants’ to-do list may be a pivot from the midseason point, when Schoen referenced a Barkley tag. A positional value-based course change could send Barkley to free agency.

The Giants are believed to have offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year neighborhood, and while the former No. 2 overall pick cited his injury history (21 missed games from 2019-21) in saying he is not looking to reset the running back market, Schoen noted the sides’ 2022 negotiation did not come close to a deal. Barkley, 25, is believed to be seeking a contract near McCaffrey’s $16MM-per-year market-setting price. A $14MM-AAV compromise could be in play, but Barkley may also be keen on testing the market.

Tagging Jones at $32.4MM would clog the Giants’ cap ahead of free agency, whereas as a Barkley tag ($10.1MM) would not drain the team’s funds on the same level. Barkley can make a case he is worthy of the McCaffrey-Kamara tier, given his production (when healthy) and versatility — and the salary cap jumping nearly $30MM (to $224.8MM) since those stars’ 2020 extensions were finalized. But the Giants are not yet prepared to go much higher than the $12MM-AAV range — the second tier for running backs. Jones talks not producing a deal would put the Giants to a decision; Barkley could become one of the most talented backs to hit free agency.

While Barkley is a better player, Jones has become the Giants’ top priority. Tagging the quarterback would be far more expensive than cuffing Barkley. A Jones extension/Barkley tag scenario remains the best Giants path, but that can only come to fruition if Jones agrees to terms before March 7.

On tag radar

Jessie Bates, S (Bengals)

With Joe Burrow now extension-eligible, new contractual territory awaits the Bengals. Tee Higgins is also eligible for a new deal, with Germaine Pratt weeks away from free agency. Vonn Bell, a three-year Bengals starter who is also nearing free agency, would be a cheaper alternative at safety to keeping Bates on a second tag. Cincinnati also drafted potential Bates heir apparent Dax Hill in the first round. This all points to the Bengals letting Bates walk — as they did defenders Carl Lawson and William Jackson in 2021 — but the former second-round pick is still one of the league’s top safeties.

The Bengals and Bates never came close on an extension last year; the team’s conservative guarantee policy led to an offer of $16MM guaranteed at signing. While player personnel director Duke Tobin said last summer renegotiations this year will not be off the table, Bates will likely hit the market. The five-year Cincinnati starter, who will turn 26 next week, can be re-tagged at $15.5MM.

Jamel Dean, CB (Buccaneers)

The Bucs tagged Chris Godwin in each of the past two years and prioritized retaining their core players above all else during that span. But, with Tom Brady‘s void-years money hitting the Bucs’ cap in 2023, a Dean tag will be difficult to pull off. The Saints moving from $75MM-plus over the cap in February 2021 to creating room for a Marcus Williams tag, however, shows how teams can go from cap hell to carving out tag space. That said, Brady’s $35.1MM hitting the cap pushes the Bucs past $50MM over the 2023 salary ceiling.

Dean, 26, has been one of the team’s top players. The former third-round pick grades as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 overall cornerback from 2020-22. This still looks like an unlikely proposition, with the corner tag at $18.14MM, but it should not be considered completely off the table.

Evan Engram, TE (Jaguars)

Tight ends Mike Gesicki, David Njoku and Dalton Schultz received tags in 2022, and the tight end tag again checking in as the third-cheapest ($11.36MM) this year makes the Jaguars keeping Engram off the market a logical step. The former Giants first-round pick broke through on his one-year Jags pact, filling a longstanding void for the franchise. Engram’s 766 receiving yards set a Jacksonville single-season tight end record. With mutual interest believed to exist, a tag as a bridge to a summer extension — ahead of Engram’s age-29 season — is a scenario to watch here.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S (Eagles)

The Eagles traded two Day 3 draft picks for Gardner-Johnson and moved him from corner to safety. After the ex-Saints slot defender led the NFL in interceptions, he will be in line for a payday. New Orleans and Gardner-Johnson, 25, could not come to terms last summer, leading to the trade, but Philadelphia wants to retain the imported DB. The Bengals kept Bates off the market last year with the safety tag, which checks in at $14.46MM this year. Given the volume of defenders the NFC champions have set for free agency, this looks like a longer-odds scenario.

Dre’Mont Jones, DL (Broncos)

Jones’ statistical production would not be in line with a tag. The talented defensive lineman has yet to surpass 6.5 sacks or 11 quarterback hits in a season, but the former third-round pick has offered consistency and earned praise from the front office. Following the Broncos’ decision to trade Bradley Chubb, GM George Paton identified Jones as a player the team wanted to keep. The advanced metrics also view Jones fondly; Pro Football Focus charts the former third-round pick in the top 20 for pressures since 2019. Jones is believed to be a higher priority compared to guard Dalton Risner, a fellow Denver free agent-to-be.

Sean Payton‘s team using a $19MM tag on a non-Pro Bowler would be risky during an offseason in which the draft capital-poor team — thanks to the Payton trade requiring a 2023 first-round pick — faces a key free agency stretch. Jones, 26, sticking around should also depend on whom the Broncos hire as defensive coordinator.

Jordan Poyer, S (Bills)

Buffalo defensive stalwarts Poyer and Tremaine Edmunds are ticketed for free agency, but with the NFL still grouping rush- and non-rush linebackers together under its tag formula, Edmunds is not a realistic tag candidate. The linebacker tag ($20.9MM) trails only the QB price. Poyer, 31, is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and has been one of the Bills’ steadiest players in the Sean McDermott era. Signed during McDermott’s first offseason, Poyer has inked two Bills contracts. He angled for a third, eventually agreeing to an incentive package, and became indispensable during a season in which the Bills lost Micah Hyde to a September neck injury and saw Damar Hamlin face one of the scariest health issues in NFL history in January.

Hamlin aims to return, while Hyde is under contract. But a Bills defense that has seen inconsistency at corner for years could still use Poyer. If the parties cannot strike a deal before March 7, the $14.5MM safety tag may not be too steep here. That said, the Bills may try to avoid a tag and save some free agency dough for Edmunds.

Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks)

A $32.4MM quarterback tag does sound too steep for Smith, his Comeback Player of the Year award notwithstanding. The Seahawks traded Russell Wilson on March 8, 2022; they re-signed Smith to a one-year, $3.5MM deal on April 14. That low-cost, incentive-laden accord effectively illustrated the NFL’s view of the former second-rounder. While Smith’s stunning season upped his value tremendously, it still seems unlikely the franchise tag will come into play. A transition tag — worth $29.5MM and involving no draft compensation — would be a more logical move.

But the top tag has been floated as a Smith-Seattle scenario. The sides have begun negotiations, and Smith’s camp figures to factor the tag salaries into the talks. This process still feels like it will end in a Smith medium-term deal. But after a 30-touchdown pass season that also included an NFL-high 69.8% completion rate, the 32-year-old passer setting a high price as the tag deadline nears would force the team to consider cuffing its starter.

Cowboys Likely To Use Franchise Tag On Tony Pollard

February 14th, 2023 at 8:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys have entered a few offseasons in recent years with moving parts. This year, Dallas’ running back position may be at the forefront there. Tony Pollard is on track for free agency, and Ezekiel Elliott‘s cap number appears untenable.

Pollard rocketed into the upper echelon of a crowded free agent running back class this past season, but signs continue to point to the Cowboys not allowing their Pro Bowler to reach the market. The Cowboys are strongly considering using their franchise tag on Pollard, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. Taking it a step further, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline offers that the Cowboys will place the tag on the four-year veteran.

This emerged as a possibility late in the season, shortly after Pollard secured his first Pro Bowl invite. A fractured fibula and high ankle sprain interfered with Pollard participating in the various competitions this year’s Pro Bowl brought, but the former fourth-round pick is not at risk of missing time to start the 2023 season as a result. And the Cowboys want to keep the rising talent in the fold.

Pollard, who will turn 26 in April, can be cuffed for just $10.1MM — this year’s second-lowest tag number — and other teams will be considering tagging backs. Josh Jacobs appears a near-lock to be retained via a Raiders tag, while the Giants will need to consider a Saquon Barkley tag (though, Daniel Jones‘ contract looks to now supersede the Pro Bowl back’s). Pollard’s profile checks in a bit lower, but the Memphis product has been the Cowboys’ best back for multiple seasons now.

The Cowboys changed play-callers, parting ways with OC Kellen Moore to give Mike McCarthy the reins in Dallas for the first time. Pollard and CeeDee Lamb reside as the team’s top playmakers; the former totaled 1,378 scrimmage yards and tied with Elliott for a team-high 12 touchdowns last season. Pollard’s lack of wear and tear (631 career touches; 24th among backs since 2019) opens the door to a productive late-20s stretch.

To go along with this, the Cowboys will almost definitely need to adjust Elliott’s contract — or shed it from their payroll. Elliott said he would be amenable to a pay reduction to stay in Dallas. The two-time rushing champion, whom Jerry Jones has consistently praised despite declining production, is due to count $16.72MM on the Cowboys’ 2023 payroll. Many around the NFL believe the former No. 4 overall pick will accept a large pay decrease to stay in Dallas, Pauline adds. Were the Cowboys to make Elliott a post-June 1 cut, they could save $10.9MM on that date. But a window to a fifth Elliott-Pollard season remains open.

Cowboys RB Tony Pollard Suffers Broken Leg

January 24th, 2023 at 2:27pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 24: Pollard underwent surgery to repair the high ankle sprain, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins, who adds (via Twitter) the Pro Bowl running back did not go through an operation to address his fractured fibula. This tightrope procedure addressed ankle ligament damage, Todd Archer of ESPN.com tweets. Despite that being the more significant of the two maladies, Watkins notes a second surgery to address it is not expected.

JANUARY 23: The Cowboys’ season came to an end yesterday, meaning attention will now turn to their moves made in advance of the new league year. One of the team’s top pending free agents is now dealing with a significant injury.

Running back Tony Pollard was carted off the field late in the first half and initially ruled out with a high ankle sprain. However, further testing revealed that he had additionally suffered a fractured fibula, as detailed by ESPN’s Todd Archer. Surgery will be required, and the recovery time after that will likely take between three and four months.

The news dealt a significant blow to Dallas’ offense for the remainder of the contest. The team relied exclusively on Ezekiel Elliott without the option of continuing his tandem with Pollard. The former totaled just 26 rushing yards on 10 carries, making Sunday the fourth straight contest (and sixth overall) this season in which he averaged fewer than three yards per rush.

2022 saw the timeshare between Elliott and Pollard continue to swing towards the former fourth-rounder. Pollard reached the 1,000 yard mark on the ground for the first time this season, earning him a Pro Bowl nod. His efficiency and pass-catching ability was on display during Elliott’s midseason absence in particular, and the latter increasingly took on a short-yardage role. That development sets up an intriguing offseason for the Cowboys from a financial perspective.

Pollard, 25, is a pending free agent due for a considerable raise given his production, especially in 2021 and 2022. It was reported yesterday that the franchise tag is an option Dallas would consider to keep him in the fold for at least one more season, but doing so would carry a cost of roughly $10MM. That figure, coupled with the outstanding commitment due to Elliott over the next four years, could make the RB position a hugely expensive one for the Cowboys unless they cut the latter or re-work his contract.

Pollard will now begin the recovery process as the Cowboys weigh their options with respect to their pending free agents and possible moves to free up cap space for the spring.

Ezekiel Elliott Would Consider Pay Cut To Stay With Cowboys

January 23rd, 2023 at 9:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Ezekiel Elliott had one of the least-productive seasons of his career in 2022, making his $10.9MM salary in 2023 potentially unpalatable. However, it sounds like the veteran running back is willing to take a pay cut if it means sticking with the Cowboys. A person familiar with the player’s thinking told Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News that Elliott would consider reducing his salary if it meant he’d stick around Dallas.

As Gehlken notes, there’s no real rush to reduce Elliott’s salary, although it may be in the organization’s best interest to renegotiate a deal before the league year starts on March 15. Still, the fact that Elliott is even willing to hit the negotiating table should be a positive sign for everyone involved.

The Cowboys are equally interested in keeping their star running back. The reporter notes that Elliott is considered a “selfless teammate” who supported Tony Pollard‘s increased offensive role, and the veteran RB has also earned praise for his pass blocking ability and ball protection (Elliott has only one fumble over the past two years). The Cowboys also have a bit of leverage when it comes to negotiating, perhaps explaining why Elliott is so eager to discuss a reworked deal. As Gehlken notes, the Cowboys don’t have any guarantees tied to Elliott’s salary for the first time since they inked him to a six-year, $90MM extension in 2019. The team could theoretically cut Elliott and be left with ~$6MM dead cap hits in 2023 and 2024, although that route is naturally “believed to be counter to the club’s intentions.”

Further complicating negotiations will be the status of Pollard’s impending free agency. Following a productive fourth NFL season that saw him finish with 1,378 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns, Pollard was eyeing a sizable pay raise as a free agent this offseason. While a broken leg during this past weekend’s playoff loss may have cost him a bit of money on his next contract, there’s no denying that the Cowboys would have to budget if they hoped to maintain their RB depth chart. Reducing Elliott’s salary could provide the front office a bit of extra wiggle room when it comes to working out a new contract for Pollard.

Following the Cowboys’ loss to the 49ers last night, Elliott made it clear to reporters that we wants to stay in Dallas.

“I’ve definitely thought about it,” said Elliott (via Gehlken). “I want to be here. I don’t have a crystal ball; I can’t tell you the future. But I definitely want to be here.”

Elliott had the fewest touches of his career in 2022, but it didn’t lead to better production. The veteran’s 3.8 yards per touch marked a career-low, and he failed to hit 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the first time in his career. The RB especially struggled as the season went on, as the 27-year-old averaged 2.6 yards per carry (82 carries, 213 yards) in the final six games of the regular season.

Cowboys To Consider Franchise Tag For RB Tony Pollard?

January 22nd, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys are one of three remaining teams in the NFC in no small part due to the success of their rushing attack. Both of the team’s top tailbacks will be the subject of plenty of speculation this offseason, with a number of questions to be answered from a financial standpoint.

Tony Pollard has established himself not only as an effective compliment to Ezekiel Elliott over the past two seasons in particular, but rather a highly productive option in the backfield in his own right. The 25-year-old is scheduled to hit free agency this March, and made a case for himself to earn a sizeable payday either from Dallas or another team.

Pollard totaled 890 yards on 187 carries during his first two campaigns, good for an average of 4.75 yards per rush. That, coupled with his production as a pass-catcher and returner, has led to increased calls for him to take on a larger offensive workload. He has seen an uptick in snap share since 2021, including a 53% mark in 2022 as his efficiency continued to be visible. The former fourth-rounder eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the first time this season, showing an ability to handle a starter’s load during Elliott’s absence in Weeks 8 and 10.

That production made Pollard a Pro Bowler this year, and sets him up well to hit the open market. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the franchise tag is in consideration from Dallas’ perspective to keep him in the fold for at least one more year (video link). The 2023 tag is projected to cost just over $10MM for running backs, which would represent a considerable bump in compensation for Pollard.

Given the presence of Elliott, however, that would also make the RB position a highly expensive one for the Cowboys. Elliott has four more years remaining on his deal, with scheduled cap hits ranging from $14.3MM to $17.1MM. The fact that no guaranteed money is outstanding, however, has led to a widespread expectation that the former No. 4 pick will either be cut or subject to signing a new contract aimed at lowering his cap hit.

On the other hand, owner Jerry Jones has reiterated on multiple occasions how much he and the team value Elliott as the lead back. Dallas is currently slated to be in worse shape than most teams financially this offseason, so significant maneuvering will be needed to keep Pollard and Elliott together. What steps the team takes to achieve that goal will be a key storyline once their season comes to an end.

Jerry Jones: Ezekiel Elliott’s Role Won’t Change

October 31st, 2022 at 8:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Cowboys running back Tony Pollard ran wild with Ezekiel Elliott out of the lineup on Sunday, collecting 147 yards on offense while finding the end zone on three occasions. While you could make a compelling argument that Pollard has outperformed his teammate in recent weeks, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was adamant that Elliott remains atop the depth chart.

“There’s no argument,” Jones said yesterday (h/t to Michael Baca of NFL.com). “Zeke’s ability to punish, Zeke’s ability to deliver, Zeke’s ability, what he does for us in pass protection, and, frankly, Zeke’s ability to make big plays are there, and we’re going to go as Zeke goes. I really mean he’s that integral to our success this year.”

Elliott is one of the most productive offensive players in Cowboys history, collecting 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage in each of his first six years in the NFL. However, the 27-year-old hasn’t looked like his dominant self in 2022. He 4.1 yards per touch is a career-low, and he’s generally been invisible in the passing game (eight receptions in seven games). Meanwhile, following a 2021 season that saw him top 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the first time in his career, Pollard has improved his numbers in 2022. Through eight games, the 25-year-old has averaged 6.7 yards on his 93 touches.

Elliott is almost halfway through a six-year contract he signed with the organization in 2019, and while he’s reworked his deal a few times, he still has significant cap hits in upcoming seasons. Perhaps Jones’ consistent public support of Zeke has something to do with financials, especially if the front office intends to engage in future restructures. By nurturing Elliott’s spot atop the depth chart (and, for that matter, atop the roster), the player may have more reason to continue working with the organization, especially with a pivotal option on his contract after this season.

Plus, when it comes down to it, the Cowboys have shown that they can support both Elliott and Pollard in their offense, and the two players will continue to coexist for at least the rest of the 2022 campaign. Pollard is sit to hit free agency following the season, and if he continues to perform (and if the Cowboys continue to insist that they’re sticking with Elliott), then then RB may end up finding a more significant role (and payday) elsewhere.

Ezekiel Elliott To Remain The “Focal Point” Of Cowboys’ Offense?

July 31st, 2022 at 3:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

After their respective performances last season, many have envisioned a change in workload for Cowboys running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard going forward. While the latter could be in line for a more varied usage in 2022, the former is still viewed as being central to the team’s success.

Owner Jerry Jones doubled down on Dallas’ reliance on Elliott yesterday, saying that he “has to be the focus” of the Cowboys’ run game (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). The 27-year-old has been a full-time starter since his rookie season, though he logged the lowest snap share of his career (66%) last season. Slowed for the latter stages of the campaign in particular by a knee injury, the former top-five pick still recorded 1,000 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.

His efficiency (4.2 yards per carry) compared to Pollard (5.5), however, led to questions about which back deserved more opportunities – which continues in the build-up to this season, one in which Elliott is expected to be healthier. Jones insists that he “has to be the focal point” of the offense, as he has been in years past, including the three-year stretch to begin his career in which he led the league in rushing yards per game.

In the absence of Amari Cooper and, at least early on in the season, Michael Gallup, Dallas’ passing game figures to look much different in 2022 and faces the possibility of being less productive than last season. Especially in that event, a return to form from Elliott would be sorely needed. From a financial perspective, it would also ease concerns about his future; Elliott has five years remaining on his current deal, but no guaranteed money is included after this season.

On the other hand, Pollard is entering the final year of his rookie contract and could play his way into a sizeable free agent deal with another career-year. As Jones added, “there is room for Pollard while Zeke is in there,” but if he has his way, the much-maligned veteran will still shoulder a heavy load as the Cowboys look to make another postseason run.

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