Top landing places for Tony Pollard in NFL free agency for 2024
What will become of Tony Pollard?
Before the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag on Tuesday, a number of elite players received it. A new contract extension was reached by a number of those players, including safety Antoine Winfield Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, edge rusher Brian Burns of the Carolina Panthers, safety Kyle Dugger of the New England Patriots, and cornerback Jaylon Johnson of the Chicago Bears on Thursday afternoon. However, the running back position—including Tony Pollard of the Dallas Cowboys—was overlooked in the shuffle, and a large number of them will become unrestricted free agents. The Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles are just two of the many teams that ought to be interested.
In 2022, Tony Pollard appeared to be among the NFL’s top running backs. Pollard placed sixth among running backs in yards per touch (5.9), eighth in yards created per touch (3.3), and fourth in yards per route run (1.82) when serving as a receiver, according to playerprofiler.com.
But in 2023, his performance fell off significantly. Maybe that had anything to do with the fibula injury he sustained against the San Francisco 49ers during the playoffs. In any case, Pollard was among the NFL’s least productive players the previous campaign.
Maybe it was only the wound that was impeding him. Perhaps he requires a shift in environment. If Tony Pollard and the Cowboys can’t come to an agreement on a new contract, he might find both in the 2024 offseason. He would look fantastic in Philadelphia or Houston if they are unable to.
This offseason, the Texans have a great opportunity to pursue a running back.
Although it’s not the wisest investment for an NFL team to sign running backs to big deals, the Texans are in a position to make an exception.
Even though he is still in his rookie contract, quarterback and Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud has already proven to be one of the finest in the NFL. Because of that value, the Texans are able to distribute their cap space of $70 million among their squad, even taking on some luxury players at positions that aren’t as important to winning Super Bowls. The running back position is one of those roles.
For the Texans, acquiring a top-notch running back would also be a need. They certainly are in need of one.
In terms of offensive efficiency per rush last season, the Texans were 26th in the NFL. The Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, and Buccaneers are the only teams remaining. Out of all those clubs, only the Bucs advanced to the postseason.
That implies that clubs do not necessarily need to have the top running offenses in order to win the Super Bowl. No, the order is reversed. However, strong, competitive teams must also be balanced, depending on both the pass and the run when one isn’t working.
Last season, the Texans were not that kind of squad. They made 12 pass attempts and 23 rush attempts. Adding a running back with star potential might significantly improve Houston’s offensive balance. Pollard is useful in passing as well as running. He would fit well in.
The Eagles are noteworthy because they recently brought in Kellen Moore, a former offensive coordinator for the Chargers and Cowboys, to fill the position in the City of Brotherly Love. Except for 2023, Moore was Tony Pollard’s offensive coordinator for his entire tenure in Dallas.
When Moore was in Texas, he got the best of the Memphis product. Pollard averaged about 5.1 yards per carry between 2020 and 2022. In Moore’s absence, that figure fell to 3.99.
It’s difficult to determine if Moore’s exit actually affected Pollard’s output. Once more, he wasn’t completely well before the season started. That might have also had an impact. However, Pollard did excel in Moore’s offense, and it’s possible that the two will rejoin in the NFC East.
In 2023, D’Andre Swift made a quick impression as the Eagles’ starting running back. In Weeks two and three, he amassed 305 yards on 44 carries. But in the other 14 games of the regular season, he only managed 744 yards. His actual yards per carry of 4.4 put him in 21st place at the position. The Eagles have the potential to perform better as well as worse.
Seeing the size of Pollard’s market will be interesting. In 2022, he was a top-tier back, but in 2023, he faltered. Pollard might fetch a very high price on the open market. In free agency, the Texans and Eagles ought to attempt to take advantage of that.
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