Tony Pollard needs more snaps

[cern]

Pollard, coming out of the backfield as a receiver, is a mismatch nightmare. He is worthy of praise for his abilities without any comparisons to zeke. But with coop, lamb, gallup, Zeke, Pollard and jarwin, someone will have to block on occasion.

 

[charron]

I liked them rotating zeke 2 series then pollard 1. The only thing is when zeke is struggling then pollard should get more touches and esp when pollard is running better that day. We should be riding the hot hand, but both backs can do more than we've seen. Both can run and catch, its just that pollard is faster in space but zeke will get some dirty yards when things go wrong.

 

[MoistMayonnaise]

I agree with the premise of this thread. I'd like to see him get snaps as a receiver as well.

 

[kumizi]

He will get more snaps.

Having one bellcow running back is old thinking. Now that we apparently care about special teams and backup QB, I'm convinced the new coaching staff has some say.

 

[kumizi]

Pollard broke twice as many tackles as Zeke last year (based on percentage of carries). It's difficult for fans to come to grips that a big name RB these days is marginally better if that than a lot of no name RBs. If this current regime was in place, there is 0 chance Zeke gets drafted in the top 5 or gets resigned for the money he did.

 

[Rayman70]

and he will see more snaps early and often. Rest assured. He will be used the way he should be.He may be the best weapon no one knows about on this team.

 

[Rayman70]

Pollard broke twice as many tackles as Zeke last year (based on percentage of carries). It's difficult for fans to come to grips that a big name RB these days is marginally better if that than a lot of no name RBs. If this current regime was in place, there is 0 chance Zeke gets drafted in the top 5 or gets resigned for the money he did.

Zeke just looked slow and stumbled forward a lot. He doesn't look the same. He looks like a short yardage guy to me.

 

[BIGDen]

I'm a huge fan of Pollard's. The guy is an absolute playmaker. There's no doubt that it was much more exciting when he touched the ball last season compared with when Elliott got the ball. Zeke and Pollard could be the best RB duo in the NFL. I just hope they use them properly.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Zeke can't separate on actual routes as a receiver, but he has very good hands and great spatial awareness to know where the sideline is and where the under-zone LB is lurking. He makes a great checkdown option

I've heard talk of Pollard playing WR but I just don't see it - he looked raw at it even at Memphis. I bet you Kyle Shanahan could get him a billion yards of YAC, but Pollard couldn't function as a slot in something like the 2019 Cowboys offense.

I think Pollard was originally drafted as our latest and best attempt at the RB/WR hybrid. Hands to catch short, with speed and size to go deep too. Good blocker for his size. Much better RB than expected, with great contact balance. Slot, motion, backfield. Lots of motion from Pollard to put him in his best matchup spot against the defense.

Not a pure WR, but a big matchup problem if you put an extra LB on the field against him, while a legitimate RB who you don't want matched up against a DB. And he'd still be a matchup problem for some DBs just because of his speed. If you don't have help over the top, you better be very fast.

He's a better fit as a complement to the run game with Zeke than Austin was because he's a better RB while still a legitimate deep threat.

But with Lamb getting signed, I see us playing more true 3WR than going for a RB/WR as our fifth man on offense.

Conceivable that Pollard takes snaps away from Jarwin instead, but I doubt it. That would be one fun personnel package, though. Zeke, Pollard, Gallup, Lamb, Cooper. I would love that. But that would be a whole new brand of football.

 

[DuncanIso]

He's 6 foot and 215lbs. He's not as small as I thought (by comparison Zeke is listed at 6 foot and 228lbs).

He had 86 carries for 455 yards (5.3 yard average). He has soft hands too, catching 15 of 20 balls for 107 yards (7.1 yard average).

Small sample sizes but I could really see his game go to another level in Kellen Moore's offense (with some West Coast offense influence mixed in). He just needs more snaps.

He's not the load Zeke is but he's way more elusive, runs better pass routes, and seems to have better hands.

Zeke's punishing style won't last long. There's a chance there could be a "RB controversy" after this season if Zeke doesn't get back to his rookie weight.

No.

He is Zekes backup.

His role is to extend Zekes career.

That means 4-5 carries a game, mostly late 3rd Qtr, or if the game is out of hand and we are sitting Zeke.

 

[Bullflop]

Pollard was highly successful last year, considering his production per snap.

Mike McCarthy is extremely likely to glean the utmost from such a strength.

In the past, during one session in the press interviews, he made that a goal.

 

[dallasdave]

Pollard was highly successful last year, considering his production per snap.

Mike McCarthy is extremely likely to glean the utmost from such a strength.

In the past during his sessions in the press interviews, he made that a goal.

Hope Coach Mike can get a lot out of Pollard.

 

[DanA]

What I like about Pollard

• Solid between the tackles runner
• Mismatch when motioned out against LB's
• Good kick returner
• Should play personal protector role on the punt coverage team

I'm hoping this off-season he improves his route running, but I don't think he'll be good enough to trouble a safety who regularly covers slot receivers. And if he can't, it's hard to see how you get both him and Zeke on the filed together so the only way I see him playing more, is if Zeke gets injured/suspended or if we manage to get a lead and are able to run out the game a bit more. I see his ceiling as 100 carries, 30 receptions with 1000 all-purpose yards. And IMO that's super ambitious.

 

[ghst187]

I remember folks saying the same about Troy Hambrick....just sayin....

 

[DanA]

I remember folks saying the same about Troy Hambrick....just sayin....

Randall was the one but both those guys were headcases so hard to compare them to Pollard.

 

[QuincyCarterEra]

Pollard broke twice as many tackles as Zeke last year (based on percentage of carries). It's difficult for fans to come to grips that a big name RB these days is marginally better if that than a lot of no name RBs. If this current regime was in place, there is 0 chance Zeke gets drafted in the top 5 or gets resigned for the money he did.

Zeke was one of the worst receiving backs in the league last year

2nd most routes ran, which only resulted in the 9th most receptions and 11th most receiving yards. Just outright horrible.

 

[ghst187]

Randall was the one but both those guys were headcases so hard to compare them to Pollard.

true, I like Pollard a lot too, some real juice in his legs but I’m wary of him as a lead back and fear over usage will either negate the element of surprise with him or wear him down where he loses some of juice that makes him so scary to defenses. I’m fine with a continued mix similar to this past season, maybe plus just a few more looks.

 

[CowboyRoy]

He's 6 foot and 215lbs. He's not as small as I thought (by comparison Zeke is listed at 6 foot and 228lbs).

He had 86 carries for 455 yards (5.3 yard average). He has soft hands too, catching 15 of 20 balls for 107 yards (7.1 yard average).

Small sample sizes but I could really see his game go to another level in Kellen Moore's offense (with some West Coast offense influence mixed in). He just needs more snaps.

He's not the load Zeke is but he's way more elusive, runs better pass routes, and seems to have better hands.

Zeke's punishing style won't last long. There's a chance there could be a "RB controversy" after this season if Zeke doesn't get back to his rookie weight.

Pollard is the bigger play threat. He can score and get his yards with less carries. Zeke needs 25 touches to be effective.