DALLAS — The offseason has arrived and now that the coaching staff for the Dallas Cowboys has been reconfigured, the roster churn can begin.
To start that process, the team must decide if any of the free agency tag designations at their disposal will be used. The Cowboys have 19 unrestricted free agents this offseason and they must determine if the transition or franchise tag needs to be applied.
Not all free agents are candidates for either tag, but the Cowboys do have at least four players who would make logical options. This doesn’t mean that the organization should – or will – use the trigger to keep the impending free agents in Dallas, just that they are the likeliest to receive the binding moniker.
The four main options for the Cowboys consist of running back Tony Pollard, tight end Dalton Schultz, linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and safety Donovan Wilson. The cost associated with each position comes into play and will help make decisions easy as the Cowboys are currently over the salary cap, but if the team wants to keep any of these four players, they have that ability.
The easiest choice would be to tag Pollard, who has become an indispensable player for the offense. The four-year veteran running back is coming off his best year, where he replaced starter Ezekiel Elliott as the unquestioned best RB on the roster and had his first 1,000-yard season.
Pollard totaled 12 touchdowns, averaged 5.2 yards rushing – good for third best in the league among qualified RBs – and added the dimension of speed that Dallas’ offense lacked while securing his first career Pro Bowl nod.
With Elliott possibly a cap casualty, the Cowboys could choose to use the franchise tag on Pollard and ensure he remains in Dallas for at least another season. Free agency hasn’t started, and the draft is a few months away, but it doesn’t seem like the Cowboys want Pollard to leave. And with the dwindling number of playmakers on offense last season, it’s understandable that they’d want Pollard to return.
Rumors have already begun to suggest that Pollard will be tagged, and he’s the likeliest candidate. Paying RBs is a risky proposition, but Pollard returning on a one-year $10.1 million dollar deal gives the team time to find their future RB and keeps them from committing to a long-term deal.
Dallas could also use their franchise tag on their starting tight end for the second straight year. Schultz played under the tag last season and is one of quarterback Dak Prescott’s favorite receiver options, ranking second in targets, catches, yards, and touchdown receptions on the Cowboys in 2022.
However, the price for Schultz, along with the other options currently on the roster, make it unlikely that he’ll be tagged again.
The Cowboys likely need to use those salary cap dollars elsewhere and Schultz’s numbers dipped from the previous season. Schultz also had some trouble with drops last year, which could be a factor in the decision.
Dallas’ depth at TE might be the biggest reason if the team opts to go in a different direction inside of tagging him. The team could turn to last year’s rookies with the hopes of getting the same production that they received from Schultz. Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot both made solid contributions in their first seasons, and the team might have faith in their second-year jumps.
Another mark against Schultz is the fact that Stephen Jones covets compensatory draft picks. The team would be the beneficiary of a mid-round selection if Schultz signs elsewhere this offseason. The decision feels inevitable that the Cowboys will either try to re-sign Schultz or let him walk, but the franchise tag doesn’t seem likely.
The cost associated with tagging Vander Esch and Wilson also makes for a big detractor. At nearly $21 million, the price to keep Vander Esch would be incredibly steep. The veteran LB had a comeback season of sorts, playing some of his best football, but he likely wouldn’t be worth it at that number.
While the Cowboys do have a need at middle LB, the better option would be to try and keep Vander Esch at a much lower salary. Don’t count on the tag being in Vander Esch’s future.
The same can presumably be said for Wilson. It wouldn’t be prudent for the Cowboys to invest $14.4 million just to ensure he stays. Like Vander Esch, Wilson had a great year for the defense and coordinator Dan Quinn loves the versatility from having three safeties on the field, but that’s too much to pay for the 2019 sixth-round selection from Texas A&M.
Cowboys Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker are ready to go for 2023, and with the development of Israel Mukuamu at the position, the team might feel good with those three playing most of the snaps at safety. Dallas will likely try to bring Wilson back on a new contract, but it’s difficult to fathom the team paying him the tag cost.
In the end, Pollard and Schultz are perhaps the only legitimate choices, and it feels like Pollard is a safe bet to receive the tag. The team has two weeks to make up their minds, a decision must be made before March 7, when the window closes.
Who doesn’t love a good game of tag?
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