6 free-agent running backs the Vikings could sign in 2024
By Chris Schad
Free-Agent Running Back No. 2
Tony Pollard
2023 Team: Dallas Cowboys
After years of being Ezekiel Elliott’s caddie in Dallas, Tony Pollard finally got his opportunity to be a starting running back last season. While that experiment didn’t go well, Pollard could be at his best as part of a committee – which could be exactly what the Vikings want to establish in 2024.
The evidence to sign Pollard can be seen in his final two seasons as Elliott’s backup.
Between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Pollard averaged 5.3 yards per carry and caught 78 passes for 708 yards and three touchdowns. This sample size also included success rates of 53.8 percent in 2021 and 47.7 percent during his Pro Bowl season in 2022.
While Pollard still ran for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns last season and had a 50 percent success rate, his yards per carry dropped to four yards per carry and he caught 55 passes for 311 yards and no touchdowns.
The Vikings already have the foundation of a committee with Chandler and Mattison but signing Pollard to a deal in the $9.4 million range could work for a short-term deal.
While Pollard wouldn’t be the bell cow, Minnesota could spread the load, helping Pollard stay fresh and getting more out of their backfield.