Cowboys OC reveals what RB Tony Pollard is ready for
Despite coming back from a broken left leg, the Dallas Cowboys thought highly enough of running back Tony Pollard to extend him the franchise tag and cut former No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott loose during the offseason.
The Cowboys have been ramping up Pollard’s workload as training camp has progressed, and with concerns about his injury dissipating, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer believes based off what he's seen in camp that 2023 is the year that Pollard ascends into that top tier of the NFL’s elite running backs.
“Tony is ready to be running back No. 1,” Schottenheimer told reporters on Friday. “He's ready to be the guy. There is nothing we will shy away from on a scheme standpoint with him. … I just love the explosive playmaker he is. I love the way he works in practice. There's a quiet confidence about him that you feel. You also feel his speed whether he's running a toss play toward the sideline or a running a route, you feel his speed. It's real. I think there's no question in my mind he's ready for this role."
Despite having 38 fewer carries than Elliott last season, Pollard rushed for more yards (1,007 to 876), averaged more yards per carry (5.2 to 3.8), was targeted more (55 to 23) and caught more passes (39 to 17), and finished with more yards from scrimmage (1,378 to 968).
Among RBs with 175 carries, Pollard led the league in percentage of runs that gained 10 or more yards (16.1%) and average yards after contact per carry (3.8), per Pro Football Focus.
Last year was the first time Pollard had more than 150 carries or saw more than 50 targets in a season. As the unquestioned featured back, it’s expected he could see a Saquon Barkley-like workload (295 carries, 57 receptions) in 2023 behind the sixth-best offensive line in the NFL, per PFF.
"Whatever they throw at me, I can handle it," Pollard recently told SI.com. "I'm ready to go. … If they call it, I'm going to haul it."
After signing his one-year, $10.91 million franchise tag, Pollard presumably needs a big season if he wants to cash in on a lucrative long-term contract next offseason. His projected market value is $10 million per season, according to Spotrac, which would make him the sixth-highest paid running back not on a franchise tender.
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