FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) - Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Tony Pollard would like a new jersey number, he tells me. In the meantime, he'll have to settle for his new four-year contract, the fourth-round pick from Memphis becoming the first of Dallas' eight draft picks to sign his rookie deal.
I'm told Dallas expects to sign six of the other eight picks in the coming hours, including, top pick Trysten Hill, the second-round defensive lineman. A wrinkle in the CBA makes third-round contracts a bit trickier than the rest; there is more room for negotiations there. But Dallas' third-round pick Connor McGovern, the offensive lineman, will still be generally slotted in and will sign soon enough.
McGovern, Hill and Pollard were among the rookies who met the media on Friday here inside The Star after the first of their two workouts scheduled for today. All three were of course dazzled by the facilities and talked of working just to get themselves acclimated to their move from college to the NFL.
In Pollard's case, he is a leading candidate to not only be a "gadget guy'' -- a reference to his offensive versatility -- but to also serve as the backup to All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott.
"I just want to be able to be a playmaker in all areas of the field,'' said Pollard, who grew up with Reggie Bush as his favorite player and who doesn't shy from hoping he can be in Dallas what Alvin Kamara is in New Orleans.
He told me he is just a little bit shy of demanding a jersey number change, though.
"It's no big deal, they just gave it to me,'' Pollard told me. "But I'd prefer, like, No. 23.''
Defensive back Darian Thompson is the present owner of 23, so ... we shall see. But Pollard does have his four-year contract as a done deal ...
