3 players who may have played their last game as a Cowboy.
Which Cowboys do you think may have played their last games with the team?
As the NFL playoffs roll on, the Dallas Cowboys turn their attention to the 2024 season. With 14 pending free agents and some serious cap restraints, this offseason will bring some significant roster turnover in Dallas.
With that in mind, today we take a look at three players who have likely played their last game as a Cowboy.
1) RB Tony Pollard
Tony Pollard, the running back for the Cowboys, had a mixed 2023 campaign. With 1,005 rushing yards on 252 carries and a career-low 4.0 Y/A, the 26-year-old concluded the season. Pollard did have a career-high 56 first down rushes and six rushing touchdowns, but his effectiveness was lacking until midway through the season—possibly a hangover from an injury.
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.
During his five-year tenure in Dallas Pollard was an extremely productive player, but bringing him back next season would not make much sense for both sides. According to Spotrac, Pollard is projected to earn a three-year, $19M contract on the open market. With Dallas’ cap restraints, signing Pollard to a multi-year deal just would not make much sense.
Pollard had a good run in Dallas, but the running back will likely look to cash in on a long-term deal this spring. With that in mind, he will almost certainly be playing for another team come September.
2) WR Michael Gallup
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. During the last seven games of the 2023 regular season in Dallas, the player who was drafted in the third round had one or less
It’s hard to see Gallup’s time in Dallas come to an end this way, but not cutting him this offseason would be mind-boggling. According to Over the Cap, Dallas can save $9M against the cap and suffer just $4M in dead money if Gallup is a post-June 1 cut.
This seems like a no-brainer decision and it’s almost a forgone conclusion Gallup has played his last down as a Cowboy.
3) CB Stephon Gilmore
The 2023 Cowboys might not make the playoffs without Stephon Gilmore. When Trevon Diggs suffered an ACL tear early in the season, the seasoned cornerback became even more important to Dallas’ defense.
During his rookie campaign in Dallas, the 33-year-old former All-Pro enjoyed an exceptionally successful season. With just four touchdowns allowed, a 55.8% completion percentage, and an 82.7 passer rating when targeted, Gilmore concluded the season with impressive numbers.
Over the last nine games of the regular season, Gilmore gave up 215 total air yards, or slightly less than 24 per game, against Dallas.
In Dallas’ playoff game against the Packers the veteran struggled a bit. Gilmore clearly was not 100% after injuring his shoulder against Washington and it showed. Still, Gilmore had a great year for the Cowboys and was an extremely valuable member of their defense.
In an ideal scenario, Gilmore would return to the Cowboys, and he, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland would have perhaps the best CB room in football the next season. Sadly, things aren’t always ideal, and Gilmore will probably charge too much for Dallas to hire him.
Gilmore is expected to sign a one-year, $11 million contract this spring, according to Spotrac. The Cowboys would be wise to offer the cornerback a one-year contract, but a five- to six-million dollar offer would be more feasible if Dallas wanted to keep the player.
Although Gilmore was a fantastic addition to the Cowboys, this offseason he will probably be lured away by a team with more contract space.
Leave a Reply