APro Bowl star could be in the midst of his final season with the Dallas Cowboys.
As mentioned by Jess Haynie of SB Nation’s Blogging the Boys, running back Tony Pollard is not having a good season. In his first season as the Cowboys’ featured back, the 26-year-old is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry and has been ineffective in the red zone with just two rushing touchdowns to show.
Haynie mentions Pollard’s declining statistics as the featured back compared to his efficiency as a complementary back alongside starter Ezekiel Elliott last season.
“As the change-up runner behind Ezekiel Elliott for the last few years, Pollard’s been a potent weapon,” writes Haynie. “It was enough to get him the franchise tag last spring, a one-year deal for $10.1 million. Pollard is one of the top-10 backs in the NFL in terms of compensation but has since plummeted in per-touch average (3.9 ypc) and per-game average (58.8 ypg). After scoring 12 total touchdowns in 2022 Pollard has two so far this year.
Tony Pollard’s Efficiency Has Seen Stark Decline as Featured Back
Pollard was one of the league’s most efficient runners over the past two seasons, averaging 5.2 yards per carry during the 2022 season (seventh-best in the NFL) and 5.5 yards per carry during the 2021 season (fifth-best in the NFL). To top it all off, he actually posted 12 total touchdowns in 2022, the eighth-best mark in the NFL.
However, this season has seen Pollard’s efficiency declined drastically. It could be due to wear and tear with Pollard ranking seventh in the league with 164 touches. It’s worth noting Pollard never led the Cowboys in carries or touches prior to this season. Or it could be the change in offensive philosophy with Mike McCarthy taking over for former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
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