The Dallas Cowboys are being viewed as a favorable destination for a Super Bowl champion who may become available after his release.
As highlighted by CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani, the Cowboys are among three potential landing spots for defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah.
The Miami Dolphins intend to release Ogbah as they aim to free up salary cap space for the upcoming offseason. Ogbah had previously signed a four-year, $65 million contract extension in the 2022 offseason, following two consecutive seasons with nine sacks each during his tenure with Miami.
“Dajani notes that the Cowboys have a number of defensive line free agents, such as Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr., Johnathan Hankins, and Neville Gallimore. With Dan Quinn now with Washington, there’s a defensive transition happening in Dallas. However, new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is likely to seek experienced players who excel at pressuring the quarterback.”
Why Cowboys Might Pursue Emmanuel Ogbah:
Ogbah kicked off his career as a starter in Miami after contributing as a key reserve for the Kansas City Chiefs during their Super Bowl-winning 2019 season. Initially, Ogbah started 23 out of his first 33 games with the Dolphins. However, his starting appearances dwindled to just four out of 24 games since then, with his sack tally dropping to 6.5 compared to the impressive 18 sacks he notched during the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
This decline in performance can be largely attributed to a significant decrease in playing time. After being on the field for 77% of defensive snaps in 2020 and 67% in 2021, Ogbah’s presence reduced to only 56% of snaps in 2022 and a mere 25% in the most recent season.
The arrival of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips in recent seasons resulted in Ogbah being relegated to the bench.
Despite being 30 years old, Pro Football Focus indicates that Ogbah remains a formidable pass-rushing presence. He achieved a pass-rushing grade of 67.1 last season, marking the second-highest grade of his eight-year NFL tenure.
It’s evident that Ogbah could continue to excel in a pass-rushing capacity for a competitive team. Given that he will still receive $4 million from the Dolphins following his release, he may be open to accepting a lower salary to join a contender like the Cowboys.
Given the Cowboys’ own financial constraints heading into the offseason—they’re currently over the cap by $3.2 million, ranking 26th in the NFL—bringing in a seasoned player like Ogbah could prove beneficial, especially considering their array of free agents on the defensive line.
As the former 32nd overall pick, Ogbah boasts career statistics of 42.5 sacks, 268 tackles, and 101 quarterback hits across 107 games, with 71 starts.
Regarding Tony Pollard, it appears the Cowboys have opted not to franchise tag him for a second consecutive season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the franchise will not utilize the $12.1 million franchise tag on Pollard, who played under the $10.1 million tag last season.
“The Cowboys are also not anticipated to franchise tag free-agent-to-be running back Tony Pollard for the same $12,109,200, as reported by sources,” writes Schefter.
Pollard, at 26 years old, completed his first full season as a starting running back, demonstrating his capability to handle a heavy workload. Starting all 17 games, he ranked sixth in the league in total touches (307). However, despite his increased usage, his efficiency saw a decline, with his yards per carry dropping from 5.2 in 2022 to just 4.0 in 2023.
Despite this, if Pollard is willing to sign at a reasonable rate—Spotrac estimates his market value to be $6.5 million per year—then there is potential for him to return to Dallas.
