Dallas, TX
Cowboys should consider NFL trade deadline reunion with former leading rusher
Most of the attention surrounding the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the NFL trade deadline has been on the defensive side of the ball, and rightfully so.
The Cowboys have an elite offense this season, but their defense has been one of the worst in the NFL. That’s why they’re expected to explore options to shore up their defense to make a second-half run at the playoffs.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t concerns on offense that should be addressed. This includes running back, which might be easy to overlook considering the way Javonte Williams has played.
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Williams has been a pleasant surprise, with 633 yards and eight touchdowns through the first eight games of the season. The problem is that no one behind him has proven capable of producing at a consistent level.
Entering Week 9, Miles Sanders is still second on the team with 117 yards, but he’s been on the IR since being injured in Week 4. Rookie Jaydon Blue is the current option at RB2 and he has just 65 yards on 22 attempts.
If Dallas wants to improve behind Williams, they should consider a reunion with their former leading rusher, Tony Pollard, who could be traded by the Tennessee Titans, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
“The players the Titans are fielding the most calls on: DE Arden Key, LB Dre’Mont Jones, RB Tony Pollard and DT T’Vondre Sweat.” – Russini, The Athletic
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Pollard had back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns for the Cowboys in 2022 and 2023 before leaving in free agency ahead of the 2024 campaign. He signed a three-year deal worth $21.75 million with the Titans and then ran for 1,079 yards and five touchdowns in his first season with the franchise.
This year, he has 424 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging a career-low 3.9 yards per attempt. It’s hard to blame that solely on Pollard, considering the issues the Titans have had.
Pollard’s trade value isn’t likely to be high, which means the main question for Dallas would be his contract. Would Jerry Jones be willing to take on Pollard’s deal after allowing him to walk in 2024?
One thing that could make him more interested is a potential out in the contract after this season. Jones could see this as a potential one-year rental, giving them a back capable of taking over should something happen to Williams.
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Morton started 15 games in 1972 for an injured Staubach, who eventually returned in the playoffs. The Cowboys decided to trade Morton in 1974 to the Giants, who sent back a first-round pick, which turned out to be the No. 2 overall pick in 1975. The Cowboys used that selection to take Randy White, a 10-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer.
Ironically enough, White’s best game was likely Super Bowl XII, when he was named Co-MVP with Harvey Martin. The Cowboys’ Doomsday defense dominated the Broncos, who were quarterbacked by Morton.
Overall, Morton played for the Cowboys, Giants and Broncos before officially retiring at the end of the 1982 season.
His career ended with 27,908 passing yards, ranking him 71st in NFL history, just ahead of Hall of Famer Joe Namath (27,663).
With the official NFL schedule coming this week, the Dallas Cowboys have revealed when, where and against who their Week 1 contest will be.
The Cowboys announced that they will square off against the New York Giants on the road in Week 1, with the game set for Sunday, Sept. 13, at 7:20 p.m. CT. So, it’s prime time for the Cowboys to start the season.
This is the second game we know about for the Cowboys this year. Of course, we know they will be playing on Thanksgiving, also.
The official schedule will drop on May 14, the NFL announced last week. Schedules for all 32 teams will be revealed on ESPN and the NFL Network, but each team will unveil its own schedule on social media, also.
The Cowboys were always likely to play a road game in Week 1 because of an Usher and Chris Brown concert taking place at AT&T Stadium that week.
Dallas will also be impacted by an Ed Sheeran concert in Week 7, so that’s another potential road game. They could also play on Monday or Thursday that week, or have a bye.
Cowboys’ strength of schedule
According to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis, the Cowboys are not going to have an easy road to make the postseason.
The Cowboys have the fourth-toughest schedule in the NFL going into the 2026 season, with only the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers having tougher slates.
Dallas’ schedule is also the third-toughest in the NFC, and the most difficult in the NFC East.
Sharp does his strength of schedule rankings based on win totals from Vegas oddsmakers rather than utilizing the previous season’s records because that metric doesn’t factor in offseason changes.
The Cowboys will play home games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.
On the road, Dallas will square off against the Giants, Eagles, Commanders, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.
Of those opponents, seven of them made the postseason in 2025, a list that includes the Jaguars, 49ers, Eagles, Texans, Rams, Seahawks and Packers.
All of those teams should be as good in 2026, and teams like the Colts, Titans, Ravens, Bucs, Giants and Commanders have a very real chance to be improved as well.
It won’t be an easy road for Dallas to get back to the playoffs in 2026, but there’s at least hope following a defensive overhaul.
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