Report: Cowboys not expected to place franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard

The Cowboys appear set to let Tony Pollard hit free agency.

It has been a minute since the Dallas Cowboys fully started over at the running back position, but we appear to be on the precipice of that.

One year ago the Cowboys said goodbye to franchise legend Ezekiel Elliott but had Tony Pollard waiting in the wings to take over as the top carrier in the backfield. 2023 was a disappointing season for Pollard relative to expectation, but he was coming back from a massive injury and said he did not fully feel like himself until Week 11. Given that he played on the franchise tag last season would mean he is due quite the payday from the club if they want him back for another year under the tag.

According to Adam Schefter that will not be happening. Dallas is not going to place the franchise tag on Tony Pollard for a second straight season.

Pollard was one of three running backs who received the franchise tag last offseason with the other two being Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley. Schefter’s report also noted that the Giants are unlikely to tag Barkley for a second year in a row and the same for the Raiders with Jacobs, although ESPN recently listed him as an option that Dallas could/should target in free agency.

The tag amount for these running backs specifically (because they were tagged last year) is $12.1M. That is simply too much to devote to the running back position these days. It seems possible that Pollard or one of these options could potentially wind up in the Cowboys backfield, but certainly not at a high price at the beginning of free agency.

Consider that when OCC discussed here at BTB lessons to learn relative to free agency that number one was paying the veteran running back. As a part of his analysis OCC took a look at the five biggest contracts earned by running backs in free agency over the last two years and number five last season was Dalvin Cook, who wasn’t even signed until well into training camp.

Perhaps Tony Pollard has played his final game in a Cowboys uniform. All the best to him if he has, although as mentioned a reunion at a lower price does not feel impossible.