Jones: Cowboys confident Pollard can 'carry the whole load' without Elliott

The Dallas Cowboys believe rookie Tony Pollard will serve as an adequate replacement for Ezekiel Elliott if the two-time rushing champion continues his holdout.

"He looks confident out there," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Saturday after the team's preseason opener, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "We know he's inordinately understanding, what it is he does and what he can do. We've seen him do it. We know he's capable, if he really needs to, (to) carry the whole load."

Pollard, 22, saw brief action against the San Francisco 49ers, rushing for 16 yards on four carries. The fourth-round pick out of Memphis sits atop the Cowboys' depth chart while Elliott awaits a new contract.

Although he put up big numbers in the passing game in college, Pollard was never deployed as a primary ball carrier for Memphis; he had just 139 rush attempts over three seasons with the Tigers.

When Dallas drafted Pollard, Jones compared his skill set to that of Alvin Kamara, who became a star with the New Orleans Saints despite spending his collegiate career at Tennessee in a time-share.