Cowboys RB Tony Pollard officially signs franchise tag for 2023
The Cowboys extended the franchise tag to running back Tony Pollard on March 6, locking him in for the 2023 season at a price tag of $10.09 million.
But it didn’t become official until he signed it.
The 25-year-old Memphis native put pen to paper on Thursday, putting him in line to be the team’s unquestioned RB1 for the first time now that Ezekiel Elliott has been released to free agency.
Pollard and the Cowboys can still work out a longer deal if the two sides choose to, provided they come to terms by the league deadline of July 17.
Tony Pollard has signed his franchise tag, per source. He's due $10.091 million this year. Pollard and the Cowboys have until July 17 to work out long-term deal.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 23, 2023
Pollard continues to rehab from a fractured fibula and high ankle sprain suffered in January’s divisional-round loss to the San Francisco 49ers but is expected to be fully recovered by training camp.
The 2019 fourth-round draft pick enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, logging career-highs in rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns, as well as his first 1,000-yard season.
The former Memphis Tiger will lead a running back crew in Dallas that now includes two-time Super Bowl champ Ronald Jones, who was added via free agency, last year’s undrafted rookie Malik Davis, and the re-signed Rico Dowdle.
The Cowboys have been rumored to be very interested in Bijan Robinson, the Doak Walker Award-winning back in this year’s draft class, with several mock drafts sending the Texas Longhorn to Dallas with their first-round pick.
It could still happen, of course, but the club’s sizable financial investment in Pollard- now guaranteed by his own signature- means 2023, at least, is TP’s year.
“He’s an integral part of looking forward,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said of Pollard at this year’s scouting combine.
Now Pollard can look forward to that $10 million payout, and the Cowboys can look forward to a summer with no threat of their top rusher holding out in a ploy to force a longer-term deal.
