Report: Cowboys RB Tony Pollard signs franchise tender

Newly minted starting running back Tony Pollard signed his franchise tender with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, locking in his $10.091 million salary for 2023, ESPN reported.

Pollard and the Cowboys have until July 17 to negotiate a long-term deal.

Pollard's 2022 breakout season ended with a bad leg break, but he's expected to be full strength in time for the mandatory portion of offseason workouts.

Pollard, 25, ran for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns on 193 carries -- all career highs -- while splitting time in the Dallas backfield with Ezekiel Elliott in 2022.

However, the Cowboys released Elliott in a cost-cutting move on March 15.

The Cowboys agreed to terms on a one-year contract with veteran Ronald Jones earlier this week.

Pollard, a fourth-round draft pick in 2019, sustained a high ankle sprain and a fractured fibula late in the first half of the Cowboys' divisional playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Ten days later he underwent "tightrope" surgery to provide stability to the injured ankle.

His fibula should return to full strength by late March.