Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walks onto the field before an NFL game.
Ezekiel Elliott’s $90 million contract could play a role in the Dallas Cowboys’ losing newly named Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard in free agency. Pro Football Network’s Jason Katz predicts that Pollard will leave for a bigger role and more money when free agency kicks off in March. Katz even identifies the Commanders as a possible landing spot for Pollard if the playmaker bolts Dallas this offseason.
“The Bills, Dolphins, Texans, Commanders, Rams, Panthers, and Falcons all need a true starting running back,” Katz wrote on December 24, 2022. “We also have teams with aging running backs potentially looking for a replacement. The Saints, Browns, and Titans fit the bill there.
“My guess is the Cowboys will try and re-sign Pollard. However, I do expect the price to ultimately be too high. Unless Pollard is willing to take a discount to stay in Dallas, look for him to be playing — and likely starting — somewhere else in 2023.”
Jones ‘Looking Forward to Our Future’ With Pollard
Tony Pollard had him on skates 👀
The Cowboys have repeatedly tried to emphasize their desire to retain Pollard, but time will tell how much money Dallas will be willing to spend given Elliott’s sizable deal that runs through 2026. Pollard is expected to land a significant raise from his current four-year, $3.1 million rookie deal. After Pollard was named to his first Pro Bowl, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the running back that he was “looking forward to our future.”
“He was just saying how proud he is of me,” Pollard explained to The Atheltic’s Jon Machota for a December 23 story. “How it’s something I deserved, that I worked for, and how he’s looking forward to our future.”
Pollard Is Projected to Land a $24.8 Million Contract
Regardless of Pollard’s future, it is difficult to imagine Elliott will continue playing with the Cowboys on his current deal. Dallas has an out in Elliott’s deal this offseason that would allow the team to release the star, but Dallas would still take an $11.8 million dead cap hit, per Spotrac.
Elliott is slated to have a $16.6 million salary in 2026 when the veteran will be 31 years old. Even Elliott’s $10.9 million salary for 2023 is well above market value for running backs around the NFL. Given the decline of NFL running back contracts, it is reasonable to expect Elliott to renegotiate his contract this offseason. Dallas will have some leverage given Elliott is unlikely to secure anything close to his current $90 million deal with another team if the Cowboys abruptly released the rusher.
If Dallas can restructure Elliott’s contract, it would give the Cowboys an increased chance of being able to re-sign Pollard. Dallas is projected to be $6.6 million under the cap in 2023 but have a number of their own free agents they will look to retain including Pollard, Dalton Schultz, Leighton Vander Esch, Noah Brown and Cooper Rush.
As for Pollard, Spotrac projects the Pro Bowler’s market value to be a three-year, $24.8 million contract giving the star an average annual salary of $8.2 million. The Cowboys will find it challenging to build a Super Bowl contender by paying nearly $20 million for just the running back position. Dallas’ running back room could look drastically different if Elliott is unwilling to renegotiate his current deal to given the Cowboys more financial flexibility.
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