The Dallas Cowboys are focused on the 2024 campaign as the NFL playoffs continue. This summer will see a substantial amount of roster turnover in Dallas due to the team’s 14 pending free agents and severe cap constraints.
In light of this, we examine three players today who most likely played their final game with the Cowboys.
1) RB Tony Pollard
Cowboys’ running back Tony Pollard had an up and down 2023 season. The 26-year-old finished the year with 1,005 rushing yards on 252 carries and a career-low 4.0 Y/A. Pollard did score six rushing touchdowns and posted a career-high 56 first down runs, but his effectiveness was low until halfway through the year, maybe a residual from injury
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Pollard scored four of his six rushing touchdowns, made 29 first down rushes, and broke 14 tackles in Dallas’ final eight games of the regular season. Though it was never consistent, he began to exhibit glimpses of the explosive rushing back we saw in 2021 and 2022.
Pollard was a very productive player in Dallas for his five years there, but it would not be in anyone’s best interests to have him return for the upcoming campaign. Spotrac projects that Pollard will fetch a three-year contract for $19 million on the open market. It would be absurd to sign Pollard to a multi-year contract given Dallas’ cap restrictions.
Although Pollard had a successful tenure in Dallas, the running back is probably going to try to sign a long-term contract this spring. In light of this, it is highly likely that he will be playing for a different team in September.
2) Michael Gallup, WR
Although injuries had a significant role, one of Dallas’ biggest swing and misses in recent memory was the signing of Michael Gallup by the Cowboys in March of 2022, on a five-year contract. After tearing his ACL at the end of the 2021 regular season, Gallup never really seemed to get well, and over the previous two seasons, he seldom played a role in Dallas’ offense.
Following the injury, Gallup appeared in 31 games during the regular season but only managed 73 receptions for 842 yards, averaging just 27 yards per game, and a terrible 55.7% catch percentage. Out of the 31 games played after his injury, 10 saw Gallups catch one or less receptions. Five times in Dallas’ last seven regular season games in 2023, the former third-round pick had one reception or fewer.
Although it’s difficult to envision Gallup’s time in Dallas ending in this manner, it would be absurd to cut him this offseason. If Gallup is a post-June 1 cut, Dallas may save $9 million against the limit and incur just $4 million in dead money, according to Over the limit.This choice appears to be almost inevitable and unquestionable.
