The Dallas Cowboys have one of the most prolific rushing attacks in football. Signed for just $3 million in March, Javonte Williams has undergone a revitalization in Dallas. He enters Week 6 third in the NFL with 447 rushing yards and first with 133 rushing yards over expected.
Simply put, the Cowboys have their best ground game since Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard formed one of the most lethal committees of any team, and it's showing no signs of slowing down.
Despite that, it is still good to see former Dallas running backs like Pollard and Rico Dowdle thriving elsewhere. While Dowdle looks set to fill out his one-year contract with Carolina, Pollard may find himself in the middle of some trade conversations before the Nov. 4 deadline.
Former Cowboys RB Tony Pollard could be on the move before the NFL trade deadline
Sports Illustrated writer Matt Verderame recently brainstormed one trade every NFL team should make before the deadline. He circled the Commanders as a possible landing spot for Pollard, which would reunite him with former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
"It’s tough seeing the Commanders giving up more draft picks after the trades for Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil. But Washington needs a running back after trading Brian Robinson Jr. to San Francisco and losing Austin Ekeler to injury for the season," Verderame wrote.
Cowboys fans probably don't want Pollard to end up back in the NFC East if he's traded. While the Commanders make sense, other teams need a running back.
The Chargers, for instance, will be without rookie Omarion Hampton for four games after he was placed on injured reserve. The Chiefs desperately need some explosion behind Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, and the Cardinals are down their top two RBs, James Conner and Trey Benson.
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The Titans wouldn't be smart to take an accomplished runner like Pollard away from rookie quarterback Cam Ward, who's flashed star potential over his first five starts. But the front office might have other ideas, like recouping more draft picks to expedite their rebuild.
Pollard doesn't have any guaranteed money left after this season, so any team that acquires him wouldn't be tied down long-term. And Pollard is only set for a $9.25 million cap hit for next year, a slight increase from his $8.47 million hit this season.
In a vacuum, Pollard would be a worthwhile pickup for any team in contention. He's currently 11th in rushing, which is impressive given how inept the Titans' offense has looked at times. He is also eighth with 252 yards after contact and seventh with 16 missed tackles forced, per PFF.
Pollard is a good player on a bad team, and he's on an affordable contract. It would not be a surprise if he's playing somewhere else by Nov. 4.