Gästebuch » Tony Pollard returned kicks and caught passes

FRISCO http://www.carolinapanthersteamonline.com/christian-miller-jersey , Texas (AP) — while growing up admiring Reggie Bush, making it easy to believe the former Memphis running back would be a change-of-pace option behind two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott for the Dallas Cowboys.The rookie fourth-round pick is also 6-foot, 210 pounds, with plans to put on a little more weight. So running between the tackles isn’t something Pollard fears as the Cowboys look to ease the load on a star with 1,003 touches in his first three seasons.“I know people think he’s going to be this gadget guy,” running backs coach Gary Brown said. “He’s more than that. He’s bigger than what you think he is and he runs powerful for a guy you think is a gadget guy. I think he can do all our runs and more, too.”The numbers with Pollard’s hometown Memphis Tigers show why he would get labeled. Besides tying an FBS career record with seven kickoff returns for touchdowns, Pollard ran for 552 yards with six TDs while adding 458 yards receiving with three more scores in his final season as a junior.Pollard isn’t concerned about being labeled, and he takes in stride the talk of being nothing more than a backup to begin his pro career.“Change-of-pace back can be however you take it,” Pollard said. “The way I look at it is a guy coming in with a lot of speed being able to make the long home run plays, also being able to run in between some tackles and get some hard yards and being able to make plays on special teams.”Dallas drafted another running back in the seventh round in Mike Weber, who was Elliott’s teammate at Ohio State when he took a redshirt year in 2015. The Cowboys selected two running backs when they already had one of the league’s best because they decided their backup wasn’t good enough.Rod Smith had just 32 carries in the first 15 games before getting 12 while Elliott sat in a meaningless regular-season finale when the Cowboys already had secured the NFC East title. Dallas didn’t bring back Smith and instead made the role of Elliott’s backup a priority in the draft.Elliott’s 304 rushes last season were 18 fewer than he had as a rookie All-Pro in 2016. But his 77 catches in 2018 were a franchise record for a running back. While the two-time Pro Bowler will be just 24 when the season starts, the toll of 300-plus carries and nearly 400 touches is daunting.Dallas’ last experience with such a load was 2014 rushing champion DeMarco Murray, who had 449 touches that year. The Cowboys let him go in free agency after that All-Pro season, and Murray retired three years later at age 30 without coming close to the production of his best year.“It’s just physics Jordan Scarlett Jersey ,” Brown said. “Year after year with that type of workload, eventually, anyone’s going to slow down. We’re trying to pre-empt that and take care of him now.”The Cowboys have a first-year offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore , just two years removed from being the team’s backup quarterback. Moore became star QB Dak Prescott’s position coach immediately upon retiring and now is replacing one of his mentors in Scott Linehan.One of the buzz words for Dallas this offseason is creativity, after Linehan was criticized for lacking it , but the Cowboys are quick to remind how they’re defined. It’s a run-first offense behind Elliott.“I don’t know that I’d use the word ‘limit,'” coach Jason Garrett said when asked about the club’s priority in trying to protect Elliott. “We want to get Zeke Elliott the ball.”Weber’s outlook isn’t as bright as Pollard’s, in part because of what Pollard will offer on special teams. Even though kickoff returns don’t play much of a role with current NFL rules, Pollard figures to get a long look as a punt returner along with veteran Tavon Austin.But Weber will have an important ally in Elliott, who quickly turned stardom at Ohio State into a high profile with America’s Team . Four years ago, Elliott was coming off a dazzling national championship game, helping lead the Buckeyes to the title in the first year of the college playoff.“When I first got to Ohio State, Zeke did a good job of helping with the playbook and showing me the way, the works,” Weber said. “I think it’s like the same thing over again. He can help me again.”And maybe Weber Greedy Williams Jersey , along with Pollard, can help ease the load on Elliott.NOTES: Pollard and the team’s top draft pick, second-rounder Trysten Hill, signed when rookie minicamp opened Friday. Hill is a defensive lineman from Central Florida. Third-rounder Connor McGovern, an offensive lineman from Penn State, is the only unsigned pick. … Larry Allen Jr. is among the undrafted free agents with the Cowboys. He is the son of Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Allen, who spent his first 12 seasons with Dallas. GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Whether it was earlier in his career at New Orleans or the past few seasons in Seattle, two things were common for tight end Jimmy Graham: production and victories.Both are in short supply in his first season with the Green Bay Packers. Graham enters Sunday’s game at Chicago with only two touchdown catches and the Packers with a 5-7-1 record.“My numbers suck,” Graham said Friday. “That’s not what it’s about, you know? I just want to win games. If I have one catch for 2 yards and we win, I don’t care. Obviously, it’s not great when you’re not helping us win, and that’s what I see.”Graham, who has played the last two games with a brace to protect a broken thumb http://www.ravensfootballauthentics.com/justice-hill-jersey-authentic , has caught 46 passes for 549 yards. That’s second on the team in receptions, and while the production might wind up being better than it was last season for the Seahawks, when he caught 57 passes for 520 yards, Graham also led all NFL tight ends with 10 touchdowns a year ago. With Seattle in 2016, Graham caught 65 passes for 923 yards. With the Saints from 2011 through 2014, he averaged 89 receptions, 1,099 yards and 11.5 touchdowns.While the Packers probably weren’t expecting the 32-year-old Graham to duplicate that kind of production, they no doubt were expecting more than a couple touchdowns when they signed him to a three-year, $30 million contract in March.For his part, Graham was expecting to join a championship contender. Instead, the Packers fired coach Mike McCarthy after a loss to Arizona on Dec. 2 and could be eliminated from the playoff race on Sunday.“I’ve never lost this much, so it’s obviously not something I’m used to,” Graham said. “I’ll never be OK with losing. I love to win. We’ve got to get back to that. Last week was a great step in the right direction. We’ve just got to do what we can control and try to keep winning.”For the Packers to win back-to-back games for the first time this season, they will have to contain Chicago’s ferocious defense. The Bears enter the game ranked third in points allowed and first in takeaways. Chicago linebacker Khalil Mack has 10 sacks and six forced fumbles. Along with catching the ball Ben Powers Jersey , Graham will be part of the plan to keep Mack away from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.“In this offseason, the tight end does a lot of stuff,” Graham said. “I’ve got a lot of responsibilities — just not running routes and out here catching the ball like a receiver. That’s just how it is. I’m just trying to do my job and do what I’m told. . Obviously, we’re going to play a great defense that’s got a great rush. I’ll be a part of stopping that rush, and that’s just how it is.”Graham caught only two passes for 8 yards in the season-opening victory over Chicago. He caught eight passes in the loss to the Cardinals but had only two receptions for 13 yards last week against Atlanta. He had a chance for a 57-yard touchdown reception but couldn’t make the play. The brace, he admitted, has been limiting.“You don’t want to shatter your thumb,” Graham said. “That’s not great, but it is what it is.”Notes: RT Bryan Bulaga, who spent most of the first matchup against Chicago blocking Mack, is doubtful with a knee injury. That means Jason Spriggs is in line for his second consecutive start. … CB Bashaud Breeland (groin/personal reasons) and defensive tackle Kenny Clark (elbow) are questionable. Due to the death of a close friend, Breeland was away from the team on Wednesday and Thursday, according to interim coach Joe Philbin.