Every year, teams have tough decisions on who to keep on their roster and who to let go. The Dallas Cowboys have a tough decision to make for their backfield. Running back Tony Pollard has been the other half of a great backfield duo with him and Ezekiel Elliot. The question for the Cowboys is whether they can keep Pollard. According to Ian Rappaport, the Cowboys could use the franchise tag on Pollard to prevent him from hitting free agency.
Rumors: The #Cowboys could use the franchise tag on RB Tony Pollard to prevent him from hitting free agency, per @RapSheet
— JPA (@jasrifootball) January 22, 2023
Dallas Cowboys Could Use Franchise Tag On Tony Pollard
The franchise tag is a tool that teams can use to keep certain players. It is a way to be able to get exclusive contract negotiating rights with a player. A handful of teams use it every year in order to prevent players from hitting the open market. If the tag is not placed, a player could get a deal on the open market and spurn the current team. The feeling is the Cowboys want to keep Pollard but are worried about the price to keep him.
Elliot Contract Makes It Tricky
Dallas did this to themselves. They signed Elliot to a 6-year $90 million dollar extension. It soon became clear that Pollard was just as good if not better of a back than Elliot. It also gave them a lot less flexibility to negotiate with potential free agents. Dallas would sign Pollard in a heartbeat if they could. However, the cap situation dictates that he probably can get more on the open market.
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The Cowboys could look for running back depth in the draft or a cheaper option in free agency. The running back position is notorious for being somewhat easy to find a diamond in the rough. The Cowboys have a lot of decisions to make in free agency but one of the biggest is Pollard.
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