The Dallas Cowboys called to let Ezekiel Elliott go, and while he was reportedly willing to take a pay cut to stay with the team, they claimed they didn’t want to insult him with a low offer.
Obviously, Elliott’s poor play had a lot to do with that decision, but the fact that they already had a suitable replacement waiting in line made things easier for them as well.
Tony Pollard was the most efficient player at the position last season, outplaying Elliott the majority of the time.
Now, ESPN’s Dianna Russini went so far as to call him the “biggest factor” in her future offense, citing an anonymous source told her that he resembled San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey at times.
.@diannaESPN he thinks Tony Pollard is the “biggest factor” in the Dallas Cowboys’ offense.
Accept? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/hqs4yvhGXk
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 29, 2023
While that might be a bit of a stretch, it’s undeniable that Pollard has already outgrown his draft stock, establishing himself as one of the most stable and reliable contributors at running back.
The Cowboys didn’t hesitate to franchise him to see if he’ll earn a big deal down the road, and there’s no reason to believe that won’t be the case.
Dak Prescott was pretty erratic and sloppy with the ball last season, and while the Cowboys have a solid receiving corps led by CeeDee Lamb, they’ve done better by relying on the running game rather than pressuring Dak to lead them to success. .
Don’t look now, but it could very well be breakout season for Pollard.
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