Cowboys Could Move on From $10 Million Pro Bowl Star, Says Insider

Getty The Dallas Cowboys face a decision on Tony Pollard's future.

Tony Pollard is slated to be the Dallas Cowboys lead back following the team’s decision to release Ezekiel Elliott, but the playmaker faces an uncertain future in Big D beyond this season. The Cowboys used the franchise tag to retain Pollard which gives the Pro Bowler a $10 million salary for 2023, a sizable amount of money for a running back in today’s NFL.

If Dallas is unable to sign Pollard to an extension, Pollard can hit free agency in 2024 unless the Cowboys once again use the tag. The Athletic’s Jon Machota noted the Cowboys could opt to draft a new starting running back next offseason if the two sides cannot reach an agreement on a long-term deal.

“He’s going to be given every opportunity to have a career-year in 2023,” Machota wrote on June 23, 2023. “If Pollard, 26, played another position, he might be in line for the type of deal that averaged $12 million to $15 million for the next four or five years. But at running back, there’s a chance that this year is the most Pollard will make during a single season in his career.

“Only six running backs average at least $10 million per season. If the Cowboys can’t work out a long-term deal that works well for them, they will likely head into next year’s draft looking to add a starting-caliber running back in one of the first few rounds.”

The Cowboys May Be Reluctant to Sign Tony Pollard to a Lucrative Contract Given the Declining Value of NFL Running Backs

Spotrac projected Pollard’s market value to be a three-year, $27.1 million contract, but it is difficult to imagine the star landing this sort of deal given the declining value of running backs around the league. After moving off of Elliott’s $90 million deal, the Cowboys are likely going to be cautious regarding the amount of future money they commit to running backs.

It has been a challenging offseason for veteran running backs with stars like Elliott and Dalvin Cook getting released. Saquon Barkley is in a public battle with the Giants over his reluctance to play this season on the franchise tag.

Cowboys Rumors: Dallas Expected to Have Contract Talks With Tony Pollard Ahead of July 17 Deadline

Dallas could benefit from signing Pollard to a contract extension this offseason as it would likely lower the star’s cap hit for 2023. This could allow the Cowboys to make another significant addition by signing an available veteran ahead of training camp. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Cowboys will likely explore signing Pollard to an extension by the July 17 deadline.

“He’s in a situation, I’m told, where he’s looking at this as a win-win because he signed his franchise tag tender at the $10.1 million clip,” Fowler explained during a June 18 edition of “SportsCenter,” via Bleacher Report’s Tyler Conway. “He’s injured, coming off ankle surgery, so he’s got that security regardless.

“But if the Cowboys want to step up and try to do a long-term deal, he’s certainly open to that. Nothing moving on that yet, but there’s a lot of time before that July 17 deadline. Certainly, both sides are expected to reconvene and talk about a potential long-term deal. The Cowboys would love to get his cap hit down a little bit so they could sign some other players.”