Cowboys to consider using franchise tag on RB Tony Pollard

A fourth-round pick by the Cowboys in the 2019 NFL Draft, Pollard rushed for 1609 yards, scoring 10 total touchdowns over his first three seasons in the league. 

But the Cowboys have given Pollard more opportunities this season, and, no pun intended, he's run with it. 

Over 16 regular season games, Pollard rushed for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns, adding 39 catches for 371 yards and three scores. 

The 25-year-old is likely only scratching the surface of what he's capable of and is bound to have his fair share of suitors should he hit the open market this offseason. 

Dallas undoubtedly wants to keep Pollard around, but they already have a crowded and expensive backfield, with Ezekiel Elliott taking up much of the room. 

While Pollard is coming into his own, Elliott looks to be on the downswing of his career. The 27-year-old posted career lows in rushing yards (876), yards per attempt (3.8), and yards per game (58.4). 

Elliott has three seasons remaining on a six-year, $90M contract signed in 2019. With Elliott scheduled to make $10.9M in 2023, the Cowboys could cut him before June 1 but would incur an $11.8M dead cap hit. 

Once Pollard began to turn heads, many called for him to take over the starting running back duties from Elliott. 

In November, head coach Mike McCarthy said he looked at Pollard and Elliott as "No. 1 runners," but it's clear there are some tough backfield choices ahead for the Cowboys.