Cowboys franchise Pollard next season?

[Cmac]

The Salarycapologists are out again.

 

[stinkface]

Lets see how the rest of the season goes. I think this forum sometimes misses the forest for the trees. The thing about running backs is you need to pay them for what they will do moving forward, not looking at what they did in the past. They missed that with Zeke in a big way. He was no longer explosive when we resigned him to that massive contract. I don't know if Pollard can get any better then he is right now, but I don't see him on the downside at all.

 

[USArmyVet]

While a very small sample size, Malik Davis has shown he might be able to fill that Zeke role (if not then draft a 3rd or 4th round RB next season) and while Zeke WAS a great rb for Dallas in his early years, his time has come and gone evident by Pollard's emergence this season.

After this season try and trade Zeke to get the best offer you can get while either franchise tagging Pollard or working out a new deal with him. Zeke's cap hit next season is $16.7M with $11.8M in dead money so if traded Dallas has a $5M savings.

 

[USArmyVet]

I think Zeke is a 16M cap hit next year. If they release him, he's an 11M dead cap hit. Releasing him saves only 5M. Probably not even worth it.

Pollard's market value is about 5-6 million at the moment. Giving him for example, 3 years 24M is not a big contract. As the cap rises his cap hits would be insignificant compared to what Dallas Gave Zeke back in 2019.

If released instead of being traded, Dallas can designate Zeke a June 1st cap hit thereby splitting the $11M dead money between 2023 & 2024.....so Dallas would actually save $11M in 2023 and $8.4M in 2024.
If traded Dallas would save $5M in 2023 (full $11.8M dead money hits in 2023) and $14.3M in 2024.

 

[doomsday9084]

I hesitate to give an RB big money. That said, I think that if Pollard was the featured back in a two back system, he would look like a top 5 RB. Out of all the players on the Cowboys, I think Pollard is the most disrespected. Even his fans don't seem to recognize how good he is.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2022/rushing_advanced.htm

Here is a fun one: Tony Pollard leads the NFL in yards after contact / rush. Its not a fluke. He was 6th last year. He is a much tougher runner than people give him credit for. He doesn't just go down.

 

[OGCowboy]

Why worry about Pollard and next year?
Myself, I’m just enjoying this years success so far and hoping they keep it going
So many things can change so quickly...With this team and climate I’m into the moment...this season, the here and now.
Puro pinche Cowboys

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Can't let him go yet with this kind of play.

we have to let one walk and my vote goes to Zeke...but it will be very tough..

zeke's cap hit is 16M. franchise RB is about 10M, that would be 26M to RB position and we are splitting carries. makes zero sense, but its the type of move jerry makes. letting zeke walk saves 5M on the cap.

I think Jerry will restructure Zeke and reduce his cap cost to around 10M. they will initially offer pollard an 8M average contract....letting Pollard walk would net us probably a 3rd round comp pick.

 

[McMicah]

I know it’s dumb to pay backs, and I’m usually unattached when it comes to contracts, but that guys has unfairly outshined a guy making way too much for too many years…I’d tag him just as an apology or sign him to a 3 year Schultz type contract

 

[baltcowboy]

Can't let him go yet with this kind of play.

You tag him. I believe the running back tag is lower then the tight end tag was this year.

 

[atlantacowboy]

I think they sign him and release Zeke who has become a short yardage specialist. You cannot pay Zeke his current level of salary AND Pollard. We can find another short yardage power runner a lot easier than a playmaker like Pollard.

 

[John813]

I haven't really followed the RB market over the past few years, but know that Fournette got 7 AAV last year.
While they are two different backs, I'd assume Pollards market is probably a little higher than that.

I'm sure another team would overpay Pollard compared to what Dallas would offer.

 

[glimmerman]

Would be a good idea. Wonder how much it would be.

 

[quickccc]

Murray didn't have 1,800 yards because that is an outlier even for most legendary RBs. But he did have a season that was around his average or where he was averaging before injuries with the Titans in 2016.

Murray's issues in his career were injuries not talent.

Spin it however you prefer.
Normally battling injuries, Murray had a superlative and healthy 2014 season (biggest single season team record for rushing yards) that the Cowboys did not think he could keep up the level - again in the teams' eyes as a one year wonder- and for whatever reason they did not think he was a special back.
They thought of him as a serviceable workhorse,.. nuthin more.

Coincidentally this was the very same Cowboys team that dare thought Joseph Randle could be a featured back.
Go figure.

 

[baltcowboy]

Hell no!!

they blew it. 3.5 years wasted of pollard.

but you can’t bust the script. Never pay backs big money.

He is our best offensive player. A one year contract would be worth it, not a 5 year extension like Zeke.. Of course you would have to let Zeke go.

 

[quickccc]

Can’t see the team paying Pollard 12 million for one season.

we couldn;t see Cowboys paying Schultz for one year either ..

Much less " twice" paying Tyron Crawford 8-9 million dollars in consecutive years ...

 

[CowboyRoy]

He is our best offensive player. A one year contract would be worth it, not a 5 year extension like Zeke.. Of course you would have to let Zeke go.

12 million no way.

 

[baltcowboy]

12 million no way.

I thought the running back tag is lower then tight end. Zeke and CMC are the only running backs making over 14 million. I thought it was the average salary of the top 5 players at the position.

 

[guag]

If released instead of being traded, Dallas can designate Zeke a June 1st cap hit thereby splitting the $11M dead money between 2023 & 2024.....so Dallas would actually save $11M in 2023 and $8.4M in 2024.
If traded Dallas would save $5M in 2023 (full $11.8M dead money hits in 2023) and $14.3M in 2024.

Or they could trade him after June 1st.

 

[kskboys]

I thought the running back tag is lower then tight end. Zeke and CMC are the only running backs making over 14 million. I thought it was the average salary of the top 5 players at the position.

Prolly around the same. Henry is around 12, and several others make 10-12.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I thought the running back tag is lower then tight end. Zeke and CMC are the only running backs making over 14 million. I thought it was the average salary of the top 5 players at the position.

It is. Someone said 12 million.