Cowboys’ Star Free Agent on Track for ‘Disappointing’ Contract: Analyst

Getty

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before an NFL game.

Since the end of the 2022 season, all the focus for the Dallas Cowboys has seemingly been on the futures of running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.

The duo has been the focal point of the Cowboys’ rushing attack for the past few years, but Elliott’s contract and Pollard’s lack of a contract are foreshadowing some serious changes heading into 2023.

Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton compiled an article of NFL running backs headed for “disappointing” contracts this offseason, and they added Pollard to that list. The 25-year-old’s late-season injury and the presence of Elliott make Moton believe that it won’t end in an ideal deal.

Instead, he anticipates a franchise tag scenario, or a short-term contract if not.

“If the Cowboys rework Elliott’s deal, Pollard may be able to get a multiyear contract and avoid the franchise tag, but the club may be hesitant about offering an extension because of his leg injury,” the article reads.

It would be a sizable payday for Pollard, but no long-term reward for his impressive rise with Dallas. Pollard can certainly still get a sizable contract, but it will likely be determined by what the Cowboys are able to do with Elliott.

Elliott Could Take Major Pay Cut

It doesn’t make much sense to exit a contract only to sign one that pays far less, but that’s in the realm of possibility for Zeke and Dallas. At least, that’s what The Athletic’s Bob Strum thinks.

In a recent article, Sturm explained that Elliott does have the option to remain in Dallas, but that it will be for a very affordable salary.

“I believe he has one option for employment above the league minimum and it is right here in Dallas,” Strum said. “I could be wrong, but if I am, it is a very low number. Maybe one year for $2 million or $2.5 million which is a far cry from what he is used to.”

That would allow the Cowboys to re-sign Pollard long term, or hand him the franchise tag and basically defer the long-term decision to the 2024 offseason. But even that solution requires several factors to play out and is certainly not a guarantee with other options available.

Cowboys Can Land Texas Star

Another idea recently proposed by B/R was the idea of the Cowboys trading up in the NFL draft to take Texas star running back Bijan Robinson.

As Heavy’s Jonathan Adams wrote up, the proposal from Kristopher Knox would require a few factors outside of Dallas’ control in order to happen. But that’s what makes it a “dream” trade.

“Robinson isn’t likely to fall all the way to Dallas at 27th overall,” Knox wrote. “If he starts to slide toward the middle of Round 1, though, the Cowboys might be able to go up and get him for a few Day 2 selections… If the Cowboys pull it off, they could seamlessly move away from the Pollard-Elliott era while getting a new every-down ball-carrier on a team-friendly rookie contract.”

Landing a player like Robinson would definitely be a solution, although it does likely require the team to move on from Pollard as he hits his prime. It would cut down the cost at the position considerably, but Dallas would also be taking a more specific gamble with a rookie running back.