The Dallas Cowboys and running back Tony Pollard are not expected to reach agreement on a long-term contract before Monday’s deadline for franchised players to agree to long-term contracts, barring a late change, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Pollard is one of three players — all running backs — who received the franchise tag and still have not agreed to a long-term contract. Unlike Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs, the other two tagged running backs, Pollard has signed his franchise tender, worth $10.09 million for the 2023 season, and attended the Cowboys’ offseason program.
The deadline for the three players to agree to long-term contracts is 4 p.m. ET Monday.
Pollard will take over the lead running back role this season for the Cowboys after the team released longtime starter Ezekiel Elliott earlier this offseason. He said in May that he expects to be fully ready to practice in training camp after having surgery to repair an ankle injury he suffered in Dallas’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers in January.
Two days after the playoff loss, Pollard underwent a “tightrope” procedure instead of a surgery that required screws into the tibia and fibula for a repair. In this procedure, a braided polyethylene cord, rather than a rigid surgical screw, is applied to restore the original position of the bones and to allow for proper healing. He also suffered a fractured fibula, which has healed.
Pollard was named to the Pro Bowl after rushing for a career-high 1,007 yards on 193 carries with nine rushing touchdowns. He also caught 39 passes for 371 yards and three touchdowns. Before last season, he had never had more than 130 carries or 719 rushing yards in a season.
Cowboys veterans are scheduled to report to training camp in Oxnard, California, on July 25.
ESPN’s Todd Archer contributed to this report.