Running back Tony Pollard is days away from becoming a free agent. But he will consider an offer for less money from the Cowboys if it means he can stay in Dallas.
This is all according to a report from the Dallas Morning News. The DMN, quoting a source familiar with Pollard’s thinking that the running back would be open to a less lucrative offer from the Cowboys. The DMN said Pollard would reject a “slightly higher” offer from another team.
A team official told the DMN that Dallas is expecting Pollard to receive several offers from other teams before he speaks to the Cowboys about a new contract.
There are a bevy of big name running backs expected to hit the free agent market, March 13. Among them are Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, J.K. Dobbins, Austin Ekeler and Josh Jacobs. Even Ezekiel Elliott, whom the Cowboys cut this time a year ago, will be a free agent. He played for the Patriots last season. Meanwhile, there are not a ton of dynamic backs in this year’s draft. No back, so far, has a first round grade and there may not be that many selected in the second. NFL draft analysts believe Jonathon Brooks is the top back available, but because of an ACL injury, he will not be ready for training camp.
The Cowboys used a franchise tag on Pollard last year, paying him a guaranteed salary of $10,091,000. But sides did not reach a longer term agreement, which is why Pollard will be a free agent.
The Cowboys running back did gain 1,005 yards last season, which ranked 12th in the NFL. He also averaged 4 yards per carry, which was a career low.
Dallas did not use the franchise tag this off season. The deadline was Tuesday. The Cowboys will have 16 unrestricted free agents hitting the market next week.
But the Cowboys do need to fix their running game, whether it is reaching another deal with Pollard, drafting a running back and finding more offensive linemen through either process.
“I think Pollard played well,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters. But he also offered qualifiers to his assessment.
“He’s someone that I would have thought, looking back, that would have had more, let’s say more impact for us in the games we didn’t play well in,“ Jones said. “But that running game of course, a product of not only the back, but the blocking and the complete offense. When I look at him, I have done that with our coaches and I have done that with our scouts and he played well.”
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