It’s always felt like the Dallas Cowboys were going to franchise tag Tony Pollard. For one, Dallas loves keeping around homegrown talents, and Pollard was the offense’s most explosive playmaker in 2022 not named CeeDee Lamb.
NFL Network reported over the weekend that the Cowboys will tag Pollard if the two sides don’t reach an agreement on a long-term deal before Tuesday’s deadline. That’s exactly what happened, as Pollard joins a long list of Cowboys to have received the franchise tag in the last several years, per ESPN.
DeMarcus Lawrence was famously tagged in 2018 and 2019 before inking a long-term extension, while Dak Prescott played on the tag in 2020 and was set to play on it again in 2021 before he signed his own deal.
Last year, Dallas tagged Dalton Schultz after a breakout 2021 when he logged 800 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
While fans should celebrate the fact Pollard will be back for another season, the front office can’t afford to take its foot off the gas. Free agency starts next week, and fans should expect plenty of moves in the next several days.
Predicting Cowboys next 3 moves after Tony Pollard franchise tag
3. Cut Ezekiel Elliott
If we’re being honest, cutting Elliott would’ve been a legitimate conversation after last season. The Cowboys likely never would’ve considered it, and the dead money that would follow such a move made it impossible, but Elliott’s seismic decline in 2022 didn’t come out of nowhere.
Elliott’s yards per game output has declined each season since his rookie year. His efficiency has taken a nosedive as well. He hasn’t averaged more than 4.2 yards per attempt since 2019 (the last time he made a Pro Bowl), and failed to break the 4.0 mark this past campaign.
While that can be attributed to poor blocking and injuries to the offensive line, Pollard averaged 5.2 YPC behind the same OL this season. This came after he tallied 5.5 (!) yards per attempt last season, and 5.3 YPC as a rookie in 2019.
Even at a reduced salary, there’s little sense in bringing Zeke back. The team would save $10.9 million on the cap by designating him as a post-June 1 cut. With Pollard back and poised to take the lion’s share of the carries, Dallas needs to cut Zeke loose and draft a running back to reset the money at the position.
This front office has disappointed before. That’s an understatement. But something tell us they’ve seen the light with Elliott.
2. Sign Odell Beckham Jr./Trade for Brandin Cooks
As great as it would be to see DeAndre Hopkins with a star on his helmet, the Chiefs are considered the front runners to land him, and there figures to be several teams in the mix given his rumored price tag. Let’s be honest, folks. When was the latest time Dallas even entered a bidding war?
The Cowboys are focused on making an “impactful addition” to the offense, per the Dallas Morning News, and it feels like Beckham Jr. or Cooks will ultimately fill that bill.
For one, Dallas was in on both players as recently as a few months ago. They nearly acquired Cooks from the Texans at the trade deadline, but were scared away by his $18 million guaranteed salary for the 2023 season.
Reports confirm Houston is shopping Cooks again, and odds are the Cowboys are interested. With (hopefully) a better understanding of the wide receiver market — and the fact Cooks would have a full offseason to get acclimated to the offense — it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the 29-year-old ends up in Dallas.
As for Odell Beckham, is an explanation really needed? Jerry Jones reiterated the team’s interest at the Combine, and Beckham is one of the best slant runners of the last 20 years, and Mike McCarthy’s offenses historically have featured a ton of slants in the passing game.
Beckham or Cooks to Dallas. Book it.
1. Restructure Tyron Smith’s contract
Jerry Jones spoke to reporters at the Combine and pretty much ruled out the possibility of cutting Tyron Smith. That’s probably the right call given you can never have two many offensive tackles (and linemen in general), and it’s virtually impossible for a starting unit to get through a season without navigating an injury.
That said, Smith currently accounts for the fourth-highest cap hit on the Cowboys in 2023 at $17.605 million. Only Dak Prescott, DeMarcus Lawrence and Zack Martin have a higher cap hit. While Smith is still capable of performing at an elite level, that number is too high given his recent injury history.
Stephen Jones himself didn’t rule out reworking Smith’s contract. That’s the easiest maneuver to relieve Dallas of some cap room.
Still $7.198 million over, per Over The Cap, restructuring Smith would save $6.217 million in cap space. It’s not a ton of savings, but cutting Zeke and restructuring Smith would put the team in a good place before free agency.
3 dark horse trade targets for Cowboys after latest report
The Cowboys are reportedly looking to make an "impactful addition" to the offense. Here are three dark horse trade candidates for Dallas.