The Dallas Cowboys made the decision to use their franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard earlier this offseason. They opted to take that route instead of using it a second time on tight end Dalton Schultz, who ended up leaving and signing with the Houston Texans.
Could departing from Dallas be a similar route that Tony Pollard takes in 2024? It is certainly possible, as there is a chance that 2023 is the final one that he spends with the Cowboys. That is because, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the two sides aren’t expected to work out a long-term deal by the deadline on Monday afternoon.
That is a change in tune from earlier in the offseason when Jerry Jones told Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News that the Cowboys were interested in a long-term deal with Tony Pollard. However, it sounds as if things have changed since April.
Tony Pollard has already signed his one-year franchise tender, which will pay him just over $10 million, locking him in with the Cowboys for the 2023 season. But, if no deal is reached before the 4 p.m. ET deadline, the two sides will not be allowed to negotiate a contract until after the 2023 season ends.
Tony Pollard assumed a larger role in the backfield with Ezekiel Elliott battling some injuries and being sapped of a lot of explosiveness that he once possessed. He took full advantage as the fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft out of Memphis and had a career year in 2022.
His performance earned him a Pro Bowl nod, as Tony Pollard carried the ball 193 times for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns. He added 39 receptions for 371 yards and three more scores, setting or tying career highs across the board.
Unfortunately, his season ended on a low note. While playing against the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Tony Pollard suffered a high ankle sprain and a broken leg. He underwent surgery to repair ligament damage, but the team is expecting a full recovery.
“I feel very confident that he can have the kind of recovery that won’t minimize or potentially impact, negatively, how he plays,” Jones said at the 2023 NFL Combine in March, per DallasCowboys.com’s Patrik Walker.
The recovery process seems to be going well as Tony Pollard was present at some of the team’s offseason workouts and practices. The team is confident that he can get the job done as they didn’t add another veteran outside of Ronald Jones even after releasing Elliott.
This is Tony Pollard’s backfield, at least for 2023. If he performs at a high level once again, the Cowboys will likely make an offer to him following the season should no long-term deal be reached. Given the current state of the running back market, that isn’t as risky of a proposition as in years past as no franchise seems willing to pay major money to players at the position.
