NFL free agency: Top 25 overall players available and signing updates
Teams usually don't let their elite players hit free agency, locking them up to extensions before that happens or using the franchise tag. Here are the top 25 free agents for this year, and updates as they sign:1. But he has had a fantastic six-season run with the Bills and should still have a good season or two left. There are never a ton of great offensive line options available in free agency, and McGary will be a good addition at right tackle. Overall, Davenport has been a bit disappointing (21.5 sacks in five seasons) but some team will take a shot on his potential.
wftv.comNFL free agency: Ranking the top 25 overall players available
Teams usually don't let their elite players hit free agency, locking them up to extensions before that happens or using the franchise tag. But he has had a fantastic six-season run with the Bills and should still have a good season or two left. There are more teams in need of a quarterback than there are available starting-level players. There are never a ton of great offensive line options available in free agency, and McGary will be a good addition at right tackle. Overall Davenport has been a bit disappointing (21.5 sacks in five seasons) but some team will take a shot on his potential.
wftv.comCowboys will reportedly use franchise tag on RB Tony Pollard if they can't reach long-term deal
The Dallas Cowboys plan on having Tony Pollard back next season, one way or another. The deadline to use the franchise tag is Tuesday, March 7. The #Cowboys will franchise tag RB Tony Pollard if the two sides cannot work out a long-term deal by the Tuesday deadline, sources say. — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 4, 2023Without the tag, Pollard would hit free agency after the best season of his career. The Las Vegas Raiders will also use the franchise tag on running back Josh Jacobs if they can't reach a long-term deal, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
wftv.comCowboys' Stephen Jones says team will 'more than likely' use franchise tag, but will it be Tony Pollard?
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones addressed the statuses of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard with Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein, acknowledging that Elliott's contract might need some tinkering and that the team will "more than likely" use the franchise tag, but possibly not on Pollard. Stephen Jones on Zeke: “He’s making a lot of money, and he knows that.”Also: “More than likely we’ll use the franchise tag. Who will Cowboys franchise tag? Tagging Pollard would come at price of $10.1 million, the value of the running back franchise tag this year. Tagging Schultz, however, would cost $13.1 million, which is 120% of last year's figure due to his second franchise tag.
wftv.comFantasy power ranking the 12 eliminated NFL playoff teams: Who comes out on top?
I thought it might be a good time for a post-mortem on the playoff teams who were recently eliminated and rank those teams by expected fantasy juice for the 2023 season. Again, only playoff teams (other than the Chiefs and Eagles) are ranked here. New York GiantsThe team doesn't have a choice in Daniel Jones — he has to come back. The wide receiver room desperately needs a coat of paint, even if we assume Rashod Bateman pops in Year 3. Kenneth Walker's receiving efficiency was ordinary, but at least he wasn't a zero in the passing game — the team doesn't view him as merely a two-down grinder.
wftv.comPrescott, Cowboys stuck in divisional-round rut another year
FRISCO, Texas — (AP) — For all the progress of the first road playoff victory in 30 years, Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys still can't get out of their divisional-round rut. The cameraman tweeted that he didn't think the coach pushed him, although the photograph made it appear he had. ENDING WITH A THUDStar running back Ezekiel Elliott and tight end Dalton Schultz might have played their final games with the Cowboys. Elliott was the center for a strange formation on the final play, getting run over by a defender after the shotgun snap to Prescott. Before the ill-conceived final play, Noah Brown (two catches) and T.Y.
wftv.com49ers beat Cowboys 19-12 to advance to NFC title game
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — (AP) — Christian McCaffrey scored on a go-ahead 2-yard run in the fourth quarter and San Francisco's defense did the rest, sending the 49ers to their second straight NFC title game with a 19-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. The 49ers (15-4) used back-to-back long scoring drives in the second half to wear down the Cowboys (13-6) and win their 12th straight game. San Francisco advanced to play the Eagles in the NFC title game next Sunday in Philadelphia after losing in that round to the Rams a year ago. The Cowboys lost for the record seventh straight time in the divisional round and have failed to make it to the NFC title game since winning their fifth Super Bowl title following the 1995 season. 49ers: DE Charles Omenihu (oblique) left briefly in the first half but returned to the game.
wftv.comCowboys RB Tony Pollard injures ankle vs. SF; ruled out
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — (AP) — Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard was carted off the field late in the first half of Sunday's divisional-round game against San Francisco after injuring his left ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Pollard got hurt when San Francisco's Jimmie Ward fell on his ankle on a tackle following a reception late in the first half. Pollard was helped off the field to the injury tent and then taken off the field with a towel draped over his head. Pollard led the Cowboys with 1,007 yards rushing during the regular season. Pollard had six carries for 22 yards and two catches for 11 yards in the first half before getting hurt.
wftv.comCowboys' Pro Bowl RB Tony Pollard carted off field with apparent ankle injury
The Dallas Cowboys offense took a big blow in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Tony Pollard injured his ankle during a second-quarter drive as the Cowboys looked to score before halftime. He left the field on a cart after a trip to the sideline medical tent and was fitted for an air cast. Cowboys RB Tony Pollard fitted for air cast on left lower leg/ankle before he's carted off, per @KristiCowboy https://t.co/bqfKtnXxQe — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) January 23, 2023While Ezekiel Elliott remains the starter in Dallas, Pollard as emerged as the Cowboys' best running back in his first Pro Bowl season.
wftv.comFantasy Football: Early look at the first round of 2023 drafts
Each of our analysts reveal their early looks at the first round of 2023 fantasy football drafts and explain the player who is most likely to change from their list between now and peak draft season. While there is plenty of debate among our analysts how the first round should play out, there was unanimous consent that Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is the No. Let's get to our first look at 2023 drafts. — Dalton Del DonKupp comes with some risk1) Justin Jefferson, 2) Christian McCaffrey, 3) Austin Ekeler, 4) Ja'Marr Chase, 5) A.J. I'm hard-pressed to see a scenario where he isn't the focal point of the Titans offense once again in 2023.
wftv.comNFL injury tracker Week 17: Cardinals QB Colt McCoy out vs Atlanta with concussion symptoms
Cardinals QB Colt McCoy out, DeAndre Hopkins questionableArizona Cardinals’ quarterback Colt McCoy is experiencing more concussion symptoms after clearing protocols on Wednesday, head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters on Friday. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts doubtfulPhiladelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts recently returned to practice for the first time since his shoulder injury. Obviously Jalen (Hurts) had a good practice yesterday and went out and looked like he did some things really well. Cornerback Adoree' Jackson has been out since Week 11 with a sprained MCL but returned to practice on Wednesday. Linebacker Azeez Ojulari joined him at practice and was listed as questionable with an ankle injury.
wftv.comFantasy Football Flashback, Week 13: Davante Adams moves ahead in race to be top-scoring receiver
Welcome to the latest edition of the Fantasy Football Flashback, where we celebrate the accomplishments of the week's most reliable players. Week 13 was a great one for those who roster elite wide receivers, as a quartet of pass-catchers ranked among the top-7 fantasy scorers. Hurts has pushed past Josh Allen and narrowly trails Patrick Mahomes in what has become a three-way race for the overall top fantasy scorer this year. 4: Cleveland Browns defense, 30.00Defenses rarely crack this column, and the Browns’ inclusion after Week 13 came in unusual fashion. Dallas will continue to give Ezekiel Elliott plenty of opportunities, but even in a timeshare, Pollard is a set-and-forget fantasy option.
wftv.comPackers spoil Mike McCarthy's Green Bay homecoming with overtime rally past Cowboys
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Before kickoff, Mike McCarthy celebrated his return to Lambeau Field with hugs, laughter and back-claps. But at night’s end, Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers had the last laugh. Instead, Prescott missed Lamb in the middle of the end zone and Packers safety Rudy Ford intercepted the pass and returned it 34 yards. The Cowboys failed to score in the fourth quarter or overtime as the Packers ripped off 17 unanswered points. Dallas went for it on fourth-and-3 from the Green Bay 35 but the Packers' pass rush forced an incompletion.
wftv.comCowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott to miss 2nd straight game Sunday
GREEN BAY, Wis. — (AP) — Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott won’t play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, the second straight game the two-time NFL rushing champion is missing due to a knee injury. Pollard rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries when Elliott was sidelined for the Cowboys' 49-29 victory over the Chicago Bears on Oct. 30. Green Bay will have offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (knee) and wide receiver Amari Rodgers (hamstring) available after both players were listed as questionable. Inactive players for Green Bay are cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, linebacker Krys Barnes, offensive linemen Rasheed Walker and Luke Tenuta, wide receiver Romeo Doubs and defensive lineman Jonathan Ford. Green Bay hasn’t dropped six consecutive games within the same season since 1988.
wftv.comFantasy Football Week 10: FLEX rankings
Tony Pollard fantasy managers had to have been feeling great while watching his performance as the Cowboys' featured runner in Week 8. If it were up to Matt Harmon, it'd be more work in the Cowboys' run game — even with Elliott back in the mix:Pollard clearly brings a ton of juice to the table. It stood out to me watching this game that Pollard found a lot of success running between the tackles on traditional plays. At least for this week, our fantasy analysts expect RB16 and FLEX26 results out of Pollard in his visit to Green Bay. Here's the FLEX position — check out where Pollard and the rest of the FLEX options landed in our analysts' rankings for Week 10:powered by FantasyProsECR ™ -
wftv.comWeek 8 NFL Sunday Night Recap: Packers continue freefall, 49ers show offensive ceiling, Falcons, Seahawks & Vikings hold division leads
Charles Robinson & Frank Schwab kick off their Sunday evening podcast reacting to their 10-point loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football. What did Rodgers really mean by his quote about playing the Buffalo Bills being, "the best thing for us?" All profits directly fund the Terez A. Paylor scholarship at Howard University. Under "Tribute," please note that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under "Designation," click on "Other" and write in "Terez A. Paylor Scholarship."
wftv.comEzekiel Elliott or Tony Pollard? Cowboys are clear what plan is at running back
ARLINGTON, Texas — In the Dallas Cowboys' postgame locker room, Ezekiel Elliott cradled an imaginary trophy midair. In a 49-29 win over the Chicago Bears, Pollard embarrassed (in Bears linebacker Roquan Smith's words) the league's 29th-ranked run defense. Pollard added 16 more yards on a reception, his 147 yards and three touchdowns each career highs. Second ever in career.pic.twitter.com/ldeO7oILR3 — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 30, 2022“When he hits that hole, he’s going 1,000 miles per hour,” tight end Dalton Schultz told Yahoo Sports. “But I got in there.”How will Cowboys handle Zeke, Pollard going forward?
wftv.comPrescott, Parsons rumble, stumble to 49-29 win over Bears
ARLINGTON, Texas — (AP) — Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, Micah Parsons returned a fumble for his first NFL score and the Dallas Cowboys beat the Chicago Bears 49-29 on Sunday. David Montgomery fumbled in the open field after a catch in the third quarter, and Parsons fell on the loose ball. Instead of touching Parsons down, Fields jumped over him. Prescott opened the scoring with a 7-yard run on a nifty play design by offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. His 10-yard toss to Cole Kmet got Chicago back within 13 after his gaffe on Parsons put Dallas up 42-23.
wftv.comTony Pollard leads way as five different Cowboys score touchdowns in rout of Bears
Prescott’s chemistry with his receivers was sharp, finding CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup on key plays including a 21-yard touchdown Prescott perfectly threw Lamb in traffic. But really, it was the Cowboys’ run game that made Dallas unstoppable, with Pollard the first line of attack and Prescott an integral second. They needed to, with the Bears gashing the Cowboys’ weak run defense to the tune of 240 ground yards and two scores. Prescott completed 21-of-27 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in addition to 34 yards and a score by ground. Justin Herbert completed 17-of-23 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in addition to his 60 yards and a score rushing.
wftv.com2022 Fantasy Football Running Back Shuffle Up: Jonathan Taylor reigns supreme
The dollar values you'll see below are unscientific in nature but reflect how I see the clusters of talent at the running back position. ("Add" means that player was added post-draft in the Vegas league; "FA" denotes a player who is currently unrostered in that pool.) I side with Taylor because he's younger, tied to a better team and quarterback, and working behind a stronger offensive line. Elliott's efficiency has dropped two straight seasons and he's now in his seventh year, a danger area for a running back. Mattison is always a popular lottery-ticket play, but it's hard to see him having value without a Cook injury.
wftv.comJerry Jones thinks Ezekiel Elliott has to be ‘the focus’ of Cowboys’ run game despite struggles
Elliott racked up 1,002 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns with the Cowboys last season, his sixth with the team. He averaged just 58.9 rushing yards and 13.9 rushing attempts per game, both career-lows. He had 719 rushing yards and 337 receiving yards last season, and is a tremendous option for the Cowboys offense. While Jones is insistent that Elliott is the focus of their running game, he recognizes the role that Pollard needs to have. "Now then, Pollard, there's plenty of room for Pollard," Jones said, via the NFL Network .
wftv.comAnalysis: Wentz, Elliott provide little bang for buck
Wentz was paid more than $39 million in cash this season and had a cap hit of $18.6 million. The Eagles now have to decide what to do with Wentz, who has a cap hit of more than $34 million next season. RB EZEKIEL ELLIOTT: The Cowboys gave Elliott a $90 million, six-year extension before reaching a deal with quarterback Dak Prescott. Elliott is coming off the least productive season of his career with 979 yards and six TDs while getting paid nearly $11 million for a team that finished 6-10. But Green had just 47 catches for 523 yards in 16 games, providing little value for his big salary.
Dalton returns to Cincy, leads Cowboys over Bengals 30-7
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton (14) celebrates a touchdown throw with wide receiver Amari Cooper (19) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)CINCINNATI – Andy Dalton was good enough in his return to Cincinnati, tossing two touchdown passes and helping lead the Dallas Cowboys to a 30-7 win over the Bengals on Sunday. The Bengals fumbled the ball away on their first three drives, one fumble returned for a touchdown, and leading to 17 first-half points by the Cowboys (4-9). Dalton was serviceable, going 16 for 23 for 185 yards, as the Cowboys stayed in contention in the weak NFC East. Dalton signed with the Cowboys as a backup, and stepped in when Dak Prescott went down.
Jackson, Ravens run past Cowboys 34-17 to end 3-game slide
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs with the ball while scoring a touchdown on a keeper against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020, in Baltimore. The Ravens averaged 7.9 yards per carry and prevailed despite getting only 107 yards passing from Jackson. That led to a Dallas field goal, but Jackson answered with a 37-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-2 play. Tony Pollard took the subsequent kickoff 66 yards to set up a 13-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Michael Gallup. An interception by rookie Patrick Queen set up a 38-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Miles Boykin for a 14-10 lead.
Human remains found at Waterloo battle site
WATERLOO, Belgium - Archaeologists digging at a site where the 1815 Battle of Waterloo was fought have turned up human remains and musket balls, they say, which may help paint a clearer picture of what went down in what was to be the French military leader's final stand. "Finding human remains immediately changes the atmosphere on a dig," said Tony Pollard, who is the Professor of Conflict History and Archeology and Director of the Centre for Battlefield Archeology at the University of Glasgow. "Suddenly there is a very poignant connection with the people who suffered here in 1815, a connection that has not been lost on the Waterloo Uncovered team of veterans and serving personnel," he said. About the digWaterloo Uncovered, a UK charity that has been charged with excavating the battlefield, said this is the first time that they have encountered human remains. The Waterloo Uncovered team is comprised of archaeologists, veterans and serving soldiers.