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Schefter: Cowboys ‘not expected’ to franchise tag RB Tony Pollard

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The Cowboys are not expected to use the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard, according to a Monday report from NFL insider Adam Schefter, who cited sources.

That news hardly comes as a real shock for Cowboys Nation, who saw the four-year ballcarrier turn in numbers that didn’t quite live up to the expectations placed on Pollard when he was tagged in 2023 for $10.09 million and took over the RB1 role from Ezekiel Elliott.

Pollard was coming back from a brutal lower leg injury, to be fair, but he appeared to have lost some of the burst that made him such an effective and electrifying change-of-pace back over his earlier years. Now with a potential second tag set to cost Dallas $12.11 million, the club appears ready to let Pollard test the free agent waters.

A robust collection of veteran backs also coming to market could entice the Cowboys to look to another free agent veteran to step in to their backfield in 2024.

Schefter reports that the Titans won’t tag two-time rushing champ Derrick Henry, and the Chargers are expected to let Austin Ekeler explore new opportunities. The Giants are said to be unlikely to use the tag on Saquon Barkley, but will reportedly sit down to pursue a lower-cost way to keep him on the roster. The Raiders could do the same with Josh Jacobs, but will probably not tag him.

D’Andre Swift, Devin Singletary, J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and the aforementioned Elliott are among the other rushers scheduled to become free agents this offseason.

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The Cowboys look to be exceedingly thin at the running back position. Behind Pollard are Rico Dowdle, Hunter Luepke, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, and Snoop Conner. None has over 100 NFL career carries.

Dowdle’s 385 career rushing yards are by far the most of that group. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports that the club is prepared to let him also seek employment elsewhere via free agency.

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