Analysts, mock drafts predict notable change for Cowboys
Analysts, mock drafts predict notable change for Cowboys
Tony Pollard, the team’s top running back, will be entering free agency after serving the entire season on the franchise tag, leaving the
Dallas Cowboys’ backfield status unclear. Although it’s not out of the question to keep Pollard in 2024, one observer thinks the team
will take a different turn.
According to Aaron Schatz’s analysis of every team in the league’s offseason goals, the Cowboys will let Pollard walk and choose a
future bellcow in the NFL Draft in April.
Schatz throws out Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Michigan’s Blake Corum as potential targets, adding that the Cowboys would
need to move up from the No. 56 pick in the second round to “get the guy they want.”
This past season, Corum was the only player in the FBS to score a touchdown in every game. Meanwhile, he rushed for more than
3,000 yards (3,660) in three seasons at Michigan and ended his collegiate career as the program’s all-time leader in single-season (27)
and career rushing scores (58).
On the flip side, consensus says the Cowboys will target Texas RB Jonathon Brooks in the second round, according to NFL Mock Draft
Database.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic is one mock drafter who believes Brooks would be a good fit in Arlington. Despite coming off a torn ACL,
Brooks is still in line to be one of, if not the first, back selected in this year’s draft. Meanwhile, Brugler added an extra nugget, pointing
out that the Cowboys’ head physician, Dr. Dan Cooper, performed Brooks’ surgery in November 2023 and would have intimate
knowledge about his status and recovery.
Before going down with a season-ending injury, Brooks was arguably one of the most explosive backs in the country, rushing for 1,139
yards and 10 touchdowns over 11 games.
Running back may not be the top need for the Cowboys, but it’s likely to be one of the team’s main holes to fill.
Pollard didn’t equal the output from his Pro Bowl season in 2022, but he was more than serviceable, rushing for over 1,000 yards for
the second consecutive season while scoring six touchdowns on the ground. However, barring a long-term deal, he’ll hit the open
market soon. The only other option to keep him would be using the franchise tag again, but that would cost the Cowboys $12 million in
2024, up from $10 in 2023.
Whether the Cowboys believe Pollard is worth a long-term commitment or a large chunk of next year’s salary is the question. The
answer is likely no on both counts, which should lead to a new face taking handoffs from quarterback Dak Prescott next season.
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