The Dallas Cowboys are officially in the market for a new starting running back as Tony Pollard has agreed to terms with the Tennessee Titans. According to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson, Pollard has verbally agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract with the Titans. As a reminder, deals cannot become official until the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
The news not only means Dallas is searching for a new running back, but the Titans are expected to move on from the Derrick Henry era. There is sure to be a contingent of Cowboys fans rooting for the two running backs to swap places as Henry is also a free agent.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Cowboys, Giants and Vikings were also part of the Pollard sweepstakes. It is no surprise that the Titans offered the “bigger payday” to Pollard.
“The Dallas Cowboys were in on RB Tony Pollard,” Russini detailed in a March 11 message on X. “The Giants and Vikings had their eye on him too. He took the bigger payday with Tennessee, per sources.”
Cowboys News: Tony Pollard Did Not Take the Rumored Hometown Discount to Re-Sign With Dallas
The news comes days after The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins reported that Pollard was willing to take less money to remain with the Cowboys. This likely means that the Titans had a significantly better offer than the Cowboys.
“A person with knowledge of Pollard’s thinking told The Dallas Morning News the former fourth-round pick is open to returning, even if the contract from another team is slightly higher than the Cowboys’ offer,” Watkins wrote in a March 6 story titled, “Tony Pollard open to taking less for Cowboys return, will test free agency market.”
“A team official, who spoke to The News on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of contract talks, expects Pollard to get as many offers as possible before talking to Dallas.”
Cowboys Rumors: Could Dallas Replace Tony Pollard With Derrick Henry or Saquon Barkley?
Both Pollard and D’Andre Swift appear to be setting the running back market with similar three-year, $24 million deals. Could the Cowboys take a swing at Henry in free agency? ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that there is buzz around the NFL that the Cowboys could pursue Saquon Barkley.
“In running back news, Derrick Henry is unlikely to return to Tennessee, essentially ending a historic eight-year run there. Baltimore has been linked to him,” Fowler detailed in a March 10 article titled, “NFL free agency buzz: Last-minute intel on signings, trades.” “Then there are some people in the league who believe the Cowboys will pursue Saquon Barkley. We shall see on that.”
ESPN’s Dan Graziano added that Barkley or Henry are likely only on Dallas’ radar if a discount becomes available. Spotrac projects Henry’s market value to be a one-year, $10.3 million deal. Pollard played on the $10 million franchise tag last season for Dallas.
“I wouldn’t get too excited about the idea of, say, Barkley or Henry ending up in Dallas, unless one of them sees his price drop down into the $5-6 million range (which I think is unlikely),” Graziano noted.
“Dallas does have some interest in bringing back Pollard, with the hope that he’d be better with one more year between him and his 2022 season-ending injury and with some better run blocking in front of him.”
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Cowboys Outbid for Former Pro Bowl Starter in $24 Million Move: Report