3 reasons Cowboys not extending Tony Pollard was a no-brainer

1. More important players need new deals

This isn't a knock on Pollard. ESPN's panel of executives, coaches and scouts ranked him as the ninth-best back in the league and you could certainly argue he should be higher. Other outlets placed him inside the top five, but the RB position has sadly been marginalized over the years.

The position is wildly interchangeable, which is why so many late-round draft picks and undrafted free agents blossom every year. Last year, it was Dameon Pierce (Round 4), Tyler Allgeier (Round 5) and Isiah Pacheco (Round 7).

What hurts Pollard is that Dallas has multiple bills that are coming due. CeeDee Lamb is up for an extension, Trevon Diggs is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and the Cowboys would like to lower Dak Prescott's $59.455 million cap hit in 2024. An extension is the clearest path to lowering that number.

Terence Steele is another extension candidate and odds are the front office would prioritize right tackle over running back depending how he looks post-ACL surgery. At best, Pollard is fourth on the extension totem pole, and that doesn't even consider Micah Parsons' future mammoth contract two years from now.

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