There might be completely different levels of change all through the Cowboys roster this offseason. Some teams might solely see minor shifts, whereas others might look very completely different in 2024. One place that could possibly be in for enormous turnover is working again, the place each Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle are headed into free company.
Pollard spent 2023 on the franchise tag and was, if that is even doable, quietly productive. Regardless of solely having one 100-yard recreation all season, Pollard completed with 1,005 speeding yards, 311 receiving, and 6 touchdowns. He began all 17 regular-season video games and within the playoffs, however his numbers had been held again however profession lows in effectivity. He solely managed 4.0 yards per rush and 5.7 yards per catch.
Dowdle lastly stayed wholesome and delivered in his fourth 12 months with the membership. Enjoying because the backup and solely showing on 22% of the offensive snaps, Dowdle chipped in 361 speeding yards, 144 receiving, and 4 touchdowns. His 4.1 common per run was on par with Pollard’s, however he did fare higher as a receiver with 8.5 per catch.
Each are set to turn into unrestricted free brokers this offseason. Pollard is about to show 27 and Dowdle 26; not precisely prime ages within the fashionable RB panorama. And after an underwhelming season working the ball, the Cowboys might really feel like they’d be higher off going with cheaper choices and devoting their cap area to bolstering the offense line and different elements of the roster.
Dallas isn’t going to offer Pollard something near the $10.1 million he acquired on the franchise tag final 12 months. Frankly, he might not even be supplied an opportunity to re-sign. But when the Cowboys do lengthen a suggestion, it’ll seemingly be a lowball that permits Pollard to discover free company earlier than deciding.
Dowdle can be simpler to convey again, given his restricted NFL profile and dangerous harm historical past. He’s a great all-around again and could possibly be supplied an opportunity to hold round at a backup’s wage. However once more, he may see if there’s any marketplace for his companies earlier than accepting the low cost to remain in Dallas.
If neither Pollard nor Dowdle returns this 12 months, then issues get actually fascinating.
RBs Below Contract for 2024
Deuce Vaughn – $948k cap hit
Malik Davis – $985k cap hit
Hunter Luepke (FB) – $922k cap hit
Snooper Conner – $915k cap hit
Even essentially the most loyal pet cat house owners are going to lift an eyebrow at Vaughn or Davis being major runners for the Cowboys subsequent season. Whereas they could fill out a depth chart, neither ought to high it based mostly on what we’ve seen to this point. This would appear to place Dallas available in the market for a brand new RB1.
Whereas the thought of signing a made man like Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, or Saquon Barkley is aesthetically pleasing, it’s not in step with Dallas’ current strategy at working again. After their experiences with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, plus cap points at different positions, this looks as if the 12 months for a “Moneyball” strategy.
Maybe they roll the cube on a free agent like Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Cam Akers, somewhat older however with productiveness potential in the suitable scheme. Or possibly they give the impression of being to the draft, maybe as excessive because the second spherical, and get 4 years of low-cost labor out of a pair of younger legs. In both case, Dallas can be trying to hold cap prices low and hope for astonishing manufacturing quite than giving out premium cash and never getting what they paid for.
Paradoxically, the most costly RB on the 2024 wage cap proper now could be Zeke. He’s not on the roster anymore, in fact, however Dallas continues to be paying $6 million in useless cash after his 2023 launch. But one more reason to not get again into long-term enterprise with a veteran again.
We’ll have to attend and see if Deuce Vaughn or Malik Davis are way more than camp our bodies. Regardless of the post-draft hype and preseason flashes, Vaughn was not often used and unimpressive within the common season. Davis spent the 12 months on the apply squad however has at the very least confirmed he can do first rate work with real-game touches.
It can even be fascinating to see how the Cowboys view Hunter Luepke at fullback. He didn’t play a lot on offense, simply 13% of the snaps, however was repeatedly seen on particular groups. Maybe one other offseason will assist him develop technically and bodily to do extra as a lead blocker and get extra touches.
Clearly, questions abound at working again for Dallas’ 2024 offseason. They begin on the high with Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle’s free company and trickle all over. At this level, it’s laborious to foretell what the depth chart will appear to be when the Cowboys head to coaching camp.
