3 Offseason Moves That Will Backfire on the Cowboys

2. Staying out of the RB market 

Another tough decision for Dallas was letting Tony Pollard hit the open market. A former fourth-round pick out of Memphis, Pollard became a fan-favorite as the change of pace back behind Ezekiel Elliott. Their contrasting styles fit well together and Pollard finally topped 1,000 yards in 2022.

That led to him being hit with the franchise tag as Elliott was let go. Pollard didn't impress as the lead back but he was also coming off a fractured leg and high ankle sprain suffered in their playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Pollard signed a three-year deal worth $24 million to join the Tennessee Titans, and it's understandable why the Cowboys didn't sign him to a similar deal. What's not understandable is their failure to bring in a replacement.

Dallas was linked to Derrick Henry, Aaron Jones, Zack Moss, and A.J. Dillon but never made a real offer to anyone. That leaves them with Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn as the primary backs. Sure, they can land someone in the draft but that means they'll have to skip on one of the other positions they ignored. It also could lead to them reaching out of necessity. 

Adding a veteran back who could start would have allowed them to go for the best player available whereas their lack of a starting option means they have to prioritize need over talent.