Cowboys RBs: Sign Kareem Hunt or Tag Tony Pollard? NFL Free Agency

A Cowboys comparison that comes down to Tony Pollard, 25, vs. the Browns' Kareem Hunt, who turns 28 this summer. ... and money, and baggage.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys could be looking to completely overhaul their running backs room, and the name of Kareem Hunt has been mentioned at DallasCowboys.com. ... is a fun story that fairly mentions something that's not fun at all: The 2018 incident, shown in a video released by TMZ, in which Hunt assaulted a woman in a hotel.

The Chiefs let him go after that, despite the fact that as a rookie he was the NFL rushing champ. Cleveland offered him a second chance and there is no record of repeat behavioral issues.

Now Hunt - who has largely served as Nick Chubb's talented backup with the Browns - is a free agent.

Should he be on Dallas' wish list?

The first step for the Cowboys is making the decision on Tony Pollard, and to a lesser degree, Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke's situation is well-documented; He will account for a cap hit of $16.7 million next season but the Cowboys could cut him as a post-June 1 designation and lower that number to $5.8 million.

Pollard is a free agent and the Cowboys could use the franchise tag, locking him in at $10 million for 2023.

So the comparison comes down to Pollard, 25, vs. Hunt, who turns 28 this summer.

If you read this space, you know what the Cowboys think of running backs at age 28 - though their thesis has much to do with "heavy-lifting star'' running backs ... and because of the presence of Chubb, maybe Hunt doesn't have that wear and tear.

Hunt finished last year with 468 yards on 123 carries, with a per-carry average of 3.8 yards - which is the poorest of his career. Pollard, of course, is coming off his breakout season, a Pro Bowl effort featuring 1,000 yards rushing and a bonanza of splash plays.

So ... Pollard vs. Hunt? Recognize COO Stephen Jones' view on the advantages of "sign our own,'' as he notes that Dallas knows (and trusts) its own players better than it can guys outside the building. 

"You know 'em,'' Jones said. "There's no surprises.''

That's where Hunt's 2018 incident - "second chances'' aside - surely lingers. And Pollard vs. Hunt financially? Spotrac projects Hunt to get a $7 million APY contract ... just $3 million less than Pollard would get with the tag. And of course, a longer-term Cowboys contract with Pollard could end up being more affordable, annually, that that.

All things considered, "the devil you know,'' as the phrase goes, seems the favorable idea.

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