Getty New England Patriots running back Damien Harris reacts after scoring a touchdown.
The Dallas Cowboys need to figure out the “puzzle” at running back, and one solution could be bringing in a New England Patriots star in free agency.
Dallas RB Tony Pollard has had his best season yet with Dallas, but is set for free agency. Meanwhile, Ezekiel Elliott continues to decline in production on the stat sheet but the team is set to take a $16.72 million cap hit with him on the roster.
SI.com’s Mike D’Abate addressed the situation in a new article, linking Patriots running back Damien Harris as a potential replacement for either Pollard or Elliott.
“If Dallas is unable to restructure Elliott’s deal, trading him may be looking more palatable than originally thought. Should they choose to do so, Harris could be the answer to the team’s need at running back,” D’Abate writes.
The uncertain nature of the Cowboys’ RB situation means that the team could head in any direction, including the signing of a back like Harris. In terms of a like-for-like change, though, Harris would be best for replacing Elliott rather than Pollard.
Harris Begins NFL Career with Patriots
If there’s one red flag with Harris, it is his health. After being drafted by the Patriots in the 2019 NFL draft, Harris has missed 28 regular season games, with six of those in the 2022 season.
However, his production when on the field is solid. Pro Football Reference states that he has averaged 4.7 yards per rushing attempt since entering the league, and his 2021 season shows the potential he has when healthy.
In 15 games, Harris ran for 929 rushing yards, added 15 touchdowns, and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. There’s a distinct similarity between the New England RB’s production and Elliott’s, as the Cowboys RB has been the team’s short-yardage scoring specialist in recent years.
Harris has also shown his versatility as a receiving threat, making 35 catches over the past 26 games for 229 yards, an average of 6.5 yards per catch.
Cowboys Could Afford Harris
The biggest issue with Elliott and potentially bringing in Harris has to do with salary cap and cost. Elliott’s cap hit, as mentioned above, is the second-largest in the NFL at the RB position. Bringing in another free agency back or re-signing Pollard becomes difficult considering Elliott’s hit and the Cowboys’ current lack of cap space.
But releasing or trading Elliott eases that load considerably, freeing up around $10 million. As D’Abate mentions, it also helps that Harris is coming off an injury-plagued season that may impact his value.
“If Harris’ limited stat sheet in 2022 negatively affects his market value,” the article reads. “Dallas would be smart to inquire on the availability of his services.”
Looking over at Spotrac’s market value numbers, the sports finance website projects a three-year deal worth $7.1 million a season for Harris. That may be a bit pricier than what the Patriots star may actually receive, considering the projections are based on contracts for players like Arizona Cardinals star James Connor’s most recent deal.
The Cowboys could do far worse than Harris, but it really only makes sense if he’s available for an affordable price and if Elliott is not returning in 2023.