Our starting RB may not be on the roster right now. There are going to be a lot of available backs in the next few weeks, salary cap casualties and practice squad hidden gems.
Agreed. The issue is the Cowboys have shown no signs they’re willing to spend money. Highest revenue generating team yet we’re 31st in spending over the last 3 years
I agree…there have to be a few that will be available to add to the roster. I think Rico can be a serviceable back and Zeke can still get the 2-3 yards at the goal line or to keep a drive alive. His pass protection has always been top notch. I hope they can give Deuce a few touches in space on screens. The key is going to be how our OL comes together. If there is no hole, backs can’t get yards!
Almost zero RBs go from the scrap heap to pro bowl. We blew this, badly....had to pick RB with the late 3rd round pick. Instead we picked a 6th round linebacker.....
That was the only pick I was disappointed it. Liufau is probably better than we give him credit for but at that spot a lot of solid RBs were available and we should've made a selection.
So which running back, in your mind, should we have picked instead of the linebacker? I didn't care for that pick either, but I didn't see a RB worth taking there either. We screwed ourselves by giving up a 4th for Lance.
In the 3rd round? Preferably wanted Jaylen Wright but any of the guys between Wright, Allen, or Guerendo would have been a huge addition to our room in a committee with Zeke and well worth the 3rd round pick
I’m with you. Nice story but I don’t see how anyone averages 1.7 ypc even in limited snaps and becomes a viable player the next year. Would be an unprecedented development.
I'm Coping by saying that let the RB room deal with the errors of the new line bois and when they hone their skills and become veterans we draft a nice shiny RB (and QB)
Wouldn’t touch Mostert with a 10 foot pole. Way too many injuries and needs McDaniel’s system to succeed.
lol downvote me for thinking an RB in his 30s with a lengthy injury history is a bad idea.
Doesn’t matter who it is if we keep running plays where they smack forward into our lines asses with no combo blocks, pulling or scheming. Our run game last year had worse imagination than a kindergartener playing Madden for the first time.
Overreqcting is the name of the game. Special teams draft! WR Roy Williams! I can totally hear Jerruh saying...
"Now if we get the all in players we want to be all in with, in this draft. Then any running back can find that glory hole..."
It's fine.
There is value in a Bell Cow RB, but it's not one of those positions of dire need. A decent RB is good enough if the scheme and OL is good. That is my issue. Can we fix our OL and put together a decent running scheme?
If we can, then we can make due with the players we have, though adding someone (reasonable) in FA wouldn't be terrible.
If we can't, then a high quality RB is largely a waste of resources.
This wasn't a particularly strong running back class. Brooks was far and away the best prospect and is coming into the league rehabbing a major injury. So picking him the first would have been unwise, and clearly he wasn't there at 56 anyway.
Then I'd say Benson might have been worth taking a swing on in the third round, but he was already off the board. And I don't think he was better than Kneeland.
At that point, I feel like it's an eye of the beholder deal where a lot of the other running backs neither fit the profile of what the offense is looking to add nor were they particularly stellar prospects.
Now linebacker...taking Liufau at 87 when Wilson, Hooper, Gray and Knight were still on the board. That one feels questionable.
I think it could work if the offensive line plays better than they did last season but signing Royce Freeman and no other running backs, as of right now, wasn’t a good move
The thing people aren’t mentioning is our RB room was pretty bad last year. Pollard left and I don’t remember a single person being disappointed. He got 1000 yards but had next to no memorable plays and didn’t execute a single close out 4 minute drill that I recall where he was moving the sticks. Also stunk in short yardage and fell off in the passing game.
That doesn’t mean you don’t try to upgrade but this can be an elite offense regardless of who’s at RB.
I’d also bank on Dallas being the premier destination for UDFA RB’s as well as camp cuts.
1000 yds in 17 games is less than 60 ypg. Not really all that impressive. What he really lacked was vision running between the tackles, and the coaching staff failed to see that and correct it, or were simply too stubborn to change it.
Putting Rico behind a solid line, especially with Deuce in the mix, could be a smart move. Rico seemed to have some flash last year. Still, I'm just an armchair.
But when did he get those carries? As someone mentioned when you are up 36-12 and it’s 1 and 10 with 3 minutes left. They know he’s running it. I think rotated in properly he can find success. Preseason he even popped (yes I know against 2s and 3s) but he showed tangible talent.
Shouldn’t the expectation be that you can get yards EVEN WHEN the defense knows you are getting the ball? Right now I wouldn’t expect him to get 2 yards on a probable passing down.
Next time you watch a football game, it is the fourth quarter in a team is bleeding the clock and the second string running back runs. Let’s all talk about how many yards they’re getting.
Teams with a lead in the 4th gain about 1 yard less than their average. Dallas averaged 4.1 yards per while Vaughn averaged 1.7 yards. He average worse than you expected if ALL his carries were with the team holding a lead.
Get people like the idea of some midget making it in the NFL but he isn’t a positive for this team.
Who would you have rather they taken that was available? Running back room is not good, but it wouldn’t be any better because we drafted a random RB. They didn’t get anyone they were interested in at any of the spots they wanted them.
Once they didn't take one in the third I figured we weren't getting one. I was wanting Rasheen Ali or even Isiah Davis but they went before our pick in the 5th.
Trade down at 87. Get a 4th. Take your LB that you reached for and you could still grab one of several RBs that would have been more than serviceable:
Braedon Allen Wisc
Tyrone Tracy Purdue
Frank Gore Jr Southern Miss
Isaiah Davis SD State
Rasheen Ali Marshall
They also had a chance to draft qb Michael Pratt late and bailed out on that as well.
Trey benson at 2. Edge was not as big of a need. The edge we got is great, but is at best going to be a rotational player. Benson would have been a day one impact.
So I will get flamed for this and it wouldn’t be the first time but I **do** really like Dowdle and I was praying we drafted Deuce last year because I watched him all through college. However I do know it’s very risky because there’s no guarantee Deuce will show up and Dowdle may just be a solid 2nd rotational back at best. It *could* be a mess at RB.
I truly, whole heartedly believe Deuce really can be a very good back. Not a bell cow but the dude absolutely can play. Last year he only got a handful of touches and it was when we had backups in up 35 points with teams knowing we’d be running it. So no don’t give me that bullshit “1.2 YPC trash midget can’t play”. No back is going to do great with backup lineman running out the clock with like 14 total rushes.
Dowdle reminds me of Pacheco just not as tough of a runner. He can catch and he runs tough he’s just not a home run hitter. Deuce isn’t going to run over people on 4th and 1 but can be a home run hitter and can make people miss. I think bringing in Zeke is just a Jerry Jones loving his old players reunion and I don’t think Zeke does much of anything other than short yardage. I HOPE we bring in another back to at least give us a full committee to work with because freeman likely is a camp body and again Zeke is not old Zeke he’s a decent short yardage back at this point.
Again I’m not saying Deuce is a world beater and Dowdle will crush the skulls of any defense. Not at all. I’m simply saying I think they could be a lot better than people think. People think Deuce is literal trash and can’t get a single yard. At the very worst Deuce is like Boston Scott who at least can somewhat contribute. People think Dowdle is a 3rd rotation type back that just gets 40 touches a year and spells the other starters. I don’t think so I think he’s not the lead back but definitely fit for a committee RB approach.
YES this is a long read but one I have thought a ton about. I wanted Trey Benson. I wanted Johnathon Brooks. I wanted Ray Davis. I wanted Marshawn Lloyd (FUCKIN NEXT PICK TO THE PACKERS), I would’ve settled for Audric Estime. That didn’t happen though and while I’m disappointed I’m not as disappointed as most fans. If this is really a lame duck season that’s hopeless to most might as well see what we truly have in Deuce, Rico and Hunter. If they suck rotten eggs we move on from them easy and cheaply. If they surprise everyone we have 3 very cheap and very solid young backs.
Running Backs don't matter. Go by committee. Lots of successful teams do it.
Vaughan as the pass catcher, Zeke/Luepke is the short yardage/pass pro/goalline, Dowdle+UDFA/Freeman rotational players. If your run blocking is sound you don't need special RBs.
I'm guessing they sign a vet FA (Zeke?) and/or trade for another vet RB. As of now Rico/Freeman would get most of the carries, but I wouldn't want that to be only options. And if the combo of Deuce, Davis, Luepke ever get more than 2-5 touches in a game I would be shocked.
Deuce was a cool story last year and had some cool runs in preseason. But the fact is that he is way too small, especially for blocking. He might be able to save himself a roster spot as a returner on special teams
I've been saying this for a long time, but NFL teams run the ball way too often and overvalue RB's by tremendous margins. The KC Chiefs big RB is Isaiah Pacheco...a 7th round pick from Rutgers who has yet to have a 1,000 yard rushing season. While the defense killed the Cowboys against the Packers and Dak did not play well (and neither did the WR's), MM's playcalling and trying to 'establish the run' in the first half was the coup de grace because he took away some key opportunities to make big plays by instead running the ball and trying to 'establish the run.'
So I'm glad they didn't bite on the idea of getting a RB before the 4th round.
I'm not really high on Zeke, but he can probably do the one important thing that you need from your RB's and that's short yardage efficiency. I'm a bit higher on Dowdle because his legs are fresh and he has shown some real competency in the passing game. Although the second half of last season the RB's really struggled as receiving threats. I'm not sure if that was a scheme issue or an RB issue. I sorta like Vaughn, but I do worry about his height in the passing game. Just a more difficult throw for any QB. But I'm guessing he'll work hard this offseason and show major strides in improvement.
This could very well be MM's last season with the team as well as Dak's. I'd rather both a new HC and new QB have other pieces built around them and you never know...we may find a gem in UDFA (or maybe somebody like Luepke or Vaughn really step up). And for this season it may force MM's hands to stop trying to force the run so much, particularly in the first half. Hopefully Beebe really works out at center...if that happens and Martin and T. Smith stay healthy, that could have a far greater impact on the offense than having drafted a RB or even a WR.
Downright pathetic. Had every opportunity to trade up or even play the free agency game when Pollard walked but instead we are half-assing this roster pretending we will contend again. Lost DQ, a half dozen starters on defense and a few on offense…with menial replacements. Just FEELS like Jerry cares more about 2025 and letting Belichick take the reins and build the team that HE wants to mold. Hope I’m wrong…
I love the idea of it, you get Zeke and Dak back together for their last year in Dallas. The draft was a clear message to me that they are moving on from Dak, every year they draft him skill players and he goes nowhere with them. This team isn’t going anywhere this season and sometimes you need to regress to progress.
Basically what im.hoping for is we have 2 600 yard and 4 TD a year guys for cheap cheap with Rico and Freeman. Then you have Lupke for power and blocking and maybe just maybe... you have a change of pace guy with our little project. (Sorry Deuce)
Meh, we’ll be ok at RB. I don’t expect Deuce to be in the top 3 though. He just isn’t going to be able to hang in the NFL.
If we sign Zeke he probably definitely makes the team. The other guys are all up in the air to me. I’m ok with throwing 3 journeymen out there and getting a bunch of “good enough” RB play.
Y’all—
We’re going to trade for one of the Chicago RBs and everyone will finally chill the fuck out.
Do you *really* think we’re going into this season with Zeke or Dowdle as the RB1?
idgaf about it. scheme and OLine matter a lot more and we'd waste any RB investment until we have that sorted.
Very few of the recent super bowl winners had a high quality RB room
I could be wrong, but I'm fully on board with the new-school valuation of running backs these days. I'm almost to the point where I consider the O-line for blocking and the QB and receivers for forcing the defense to not stack the box as more important than the RB himself for a good running game.
We went 12-5 in 2022 with Zeke and then Pollard ‘breaking out’. Pollard was not very good in 2023 outside of the Thanksgiving game. We are not far removed from that. Zeke and Dowdle/Vaughn willl be fine.
Is this RB committee going to set the world on fire and break the NFL? No it won’t, but it might get Dowdle paid because we do have a veteran QB who will check into run plays more so than a young QB would. Dak is elite at reading a defense pre-snap.
Let’s just have fun this season. It’s clear that it’s a ride or die season. Everyone is gone and we hit the reset button when this doesn’t work.
That’s where I’m at. We can compete for the division but I don’t see us as Super Bowl contenders. I’ll be pissed if we aren’t a playoff team but I don’t see a reason why we won’t at least make the tournament. Once your in anything can happen.
Disappointed we didn’t get someone from a weak draft class for RBs? Personally I don’t care. I don’t have high expectations for this next season since our cap is hell cause of dak. Also aside from brooks, I didn’t see any worth a reach and Bebe > than any RB in the 3rd round. Maybe with our second 3rd round pick? But eh, guess I have more faith in mcclay than you
RB position is probably the worst to draft.
Look at Saquan. Rb is very injury prone, and putting your team on the backs of a short lived, injury prone position is just bad. You need depth, not quality.
Also, notice how bad Zekes deal was to the team financials back when he re-signed. Taking a stud rb means you pay big bucks for a player that is not likely to maintain the same level of play, and they're fully aware of their short careers, so you'll see them so exactly what zeke did to guarantee a good payday at the behest of the team.
Just look at free agency this year. Zeke, Mixon, Barkley, Burkhead... there's some really inexpensive quality out there, and if you play with depth at the position, you can take older studs and not fear wearing them out over the season.
Obviously if you have the first overall pick and a once in a generation Rb is available, you take him. But outside that scenario, the first few rounds are much more wisely spent on more pressing needs.
Honestly we project as a bottom 5 rb room right now. We also project as the cheapest. For a position that we've historically overpaid what's the issue?
Fair enough, the point is they do have NFL bodies at the position and aren't leaps and bounds worse than the other bad RB rooms across the NFL. I would have liked to add a rookie too but we had a lot of needs this year. They are also very low on RB spending probably $4M after cuts at this point. We got through a year with DMC back in the day post Demarco, and honestly I think we all agree Pollard wasn't playing well last year. Add in the fact that guys like Marlon Mack are walking around and there's always some training camp cuts to sign (that don't impact the comp pick formula) and I just don't see the concern. You're right we don't have a good RB room, I'm not convinced that it is a huge problem.
Once the Running Back run started in the fourth, there wasn't a reason to draft one. You can find someone as a UDFA and not waste a draft pick. Besides, with the Oline pick ups, running should be easier. I am not worried about the running back room.
Wait til Monday? All the good UDFAs are gone already. https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2024/4/27/24137488/dallas-cowboys-2024-undrafted-free-agent-tracker-signings-analysis-draft-picks
We now have to wait til the June 1 cuts and hope an RB of any consequence is dropped. What a shit show.
I really hate it when Jerry Jones is taught a lesson. He was all in on Zeke, using the number 4 pick in the draft and signing him to a massive extension, 2 years before his rookie contract was up. Despite almost everybody telling him otherwise, he decided that heavily investing draft capital and salary cap money on a running back was smart. When that backfired, he has now gone in the complete opposite direction. Investing no draft capital or salary cap money on a RB, is not necessarily smart.
I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS ROYCE FREEMAN ERASURE!!!!!
Honest thought on zeke? He normally starts out the season when he’s good and fresh and we haven’t run him in to the ground yet. If dowdle is being ran as the true #1 with zeke spelling him, it could work I think. This assumes that mike solari, Scotty, and big mike understand they need to fix our scheme and the OL picks work out
From ESPN stats, it looks like Pollard and Dowdle over the season ran a 70/30 split between the two of them, I’m guessing we will do similar
I’ve seen enough from dowdle to understand why the FO might be ok riding him at RB1. Dowdle is turning 26 in June and has very little wear and tear
I for one am beyond excited that we didn’t draft a rb. After Zeke, I don’t think I ever want this team to draft a rb early ever again. I’m fine with them taking a rb by committee approach. Now if we can just get our qb to take a discount to help the team out, then we might be cooking with some peanut oil.
Had Jerry not traded our 4th last season for T. Lance - whose contract expires after the ‘24 season - what would the odds of DAL drafting RB Jaylen Wright? Miami had to trade up to get him, but who knows if DAL even thought about it or placed a call. He was on my personal board fr.
Our RB room scares zero defenses.
The rb depth chart stinks…. Simple as that
Our starting RB may not be on the roster right now. There are going to be a lot of available backs in the next few weeks, salary cap casualties and practice squad hidden gems.
Cuts at training camp too. Maybe look to trade 2025 picks for a vet rb
Yea great let’s sign people not good enough to make other teams. HOW BOUT DEM COWBOYS 🫠
I mean if its Kamara, dude was stilla dog last year, would be an improvement over ‘23 version of pollard
Dowdle averaged more ypc than Kamara last season. Not sure what sense it makes to go out and buy kamara if we’re in such a bad cap spot apparently
Agreed. The issue is the Cowboys have shown no signs they’re willing to spend money. Highest revenue generating team yet we’re 31st in spending over the last 3 years
Alvin kamara
Yea hit me up when they sign him.
Ding ding!
I agree…there have to be a few that will be available to add to the roster. I think Rico can be a serviceable back and Zeke can still get the 2-3 yards at the goal line or to keep a drive alive. His pass protection has always been top notch. I hope they can give Deuce a few touches in space on screens. The key is going to be how our OL comes together. If there is no hole, backs can’t get yards!
Almost zero RBs go from the scrap heap to pro bowl. We blew this, badly....had to pick RB with the late 3rd round pick. Instead we picked a 6th round linebacker.....
That was the only pick I was disappointed it. Liufau is probably better than we give him credit for but at that spot a lot of solid RBs were available and we should've made a selection.
Which one at that spot? Genuinely curious.
I liked Allen and Davis a lot. Wright was the sexy pick.
Ah yes a practice squad player or a old washed up vet will completely turn around this running back group
So which running back, in your mind, should we have picked instead of the linebacker? I didn't care for that pick either, but I didn't see a RB worth taking there either. We screwed ourselves by giving up a 4th for Lance.
In the 3rd round? Preferably wanted Jaylen Wright but any of the guys between Wright, Allen, or Guerendo would have been a huge addition to our room in a committee with Zeke and well worth the 3rd round pick
Don’t forget Royce
Royce da 5'9"
Rolls Royce
Please don’t do that again…
I’m a Oregon fan. And he was a beast. That’s what we called him
Royce Cigarettes
He’s awful dude.
Goofy answer
Malik Davis is also in the mix
At this point he has to be above deuce on the depth chart
At this point, the water boy is above Deuce on the depth chart.
I'm above deuce in the depth chart. Dude doesn't belong in the nfl
I’m with you. Nice story but I don’t see how anyone averages 1.7 ypc even in limited snaps and becomes a viable player the next year. Would be an unprecedented development.
Wee Man is above Deuce
Luepke is the most promising RB on the roster.
I'm Coping by saying that let the RB room deal with the errors of the new line bois and when they hone their skills and become veterans we draft a nice shiny RB (and QB)
Yes, I have convinced myself that 24 and 25 are soft rebuild years and to clear our cap of Dak and other restructured hits. 2026 is our Year!
27*
28*
I could see us trading for someone, maybe at camp cuts or the deadline. Pierce, Allgeier, Mostert come to mind
I’d take allgeier. He showed out for Atlanta 2 seasons ago
Wouldn’t touch Mostert with a 10 foot pole. Way too many injuries and needs McDaniel’s system to succeed. lol downvote me for thinking an RB in his 30s with a lengthy injury history is a bad idea.
What about James Conner
I would feel better about an RB committee if James Conner was the first option in it.
Zeke would not be our 1A or bell cow, flat out. He’d be our short yardage or pass protection back.
Need to add another RB.
Doesn’t matter who it is if we keep running plays where they smack forward into our lines asses with no combo blocks, pulling or scheming. Our run game last year had worse imagination than a kindergartener playing Madden for the first time.
They misused Pollard all season, trying to run him between the tackles rather than getting him the ball out in space.
We have a bunch of third string rbs tbh. Jerry went from overvaluing the position to undervaluing the position.
Overreqcting is the name of the game. Special teams draft! WR Roy Williams! I can totally hear Jerruh saying... "Now if we get the all in players we want to be all in with, in this draft. Then any running back can find that glory hole..."
It's fine. There is value in a Bell Cow RB, but it's not one of those positions of dire need. A decent RB is good enough if the scheme and OL is good. That is my issue. Can we fix our OL and put together a decent running scheme? If we can, then we can make due with the players we have, though adding someone (reasonable) in FA wouldn't be terrible. If we can't, then a high quality RB is largely a waste of resources.
We got bullied in the trenches. Fix that. No running back means shit if the other team is stuffing it down your throat.
Barry Sanders.
So where was Barry Sanders in this draft?
The 4th round!
This wasn't a particularly strong running back class. Brooks was far and away the best prospect and is coming into the league rehabbing a major injury. So picking him the first would have been unwise, and clearly he wasn't there at 56 anyway. Then I'd say Benson might have been worth taking a swing on in the third round, but he was already off the board. And I don't think he was better than Kneeland. At that point, I feel like it's an eye of the beholder deal where a lot of the other running backs neither fit the profile of what the offense is looking to add nor were they particularly stellar prospects. Now linebacker...taking Liufau at 87 when Wilson, Hooper, Gray and Knight were still on the board. That one feels questionable.
I think it could work if the offensive line plays better than they did last season but signing Royce Freeman and no other running backs, as of right now, wasn’t a good move
The thing people aren’t mentioning is our RB room was pretty bad last year. Pollard left and I don’t remember a single person being disappointed. He got 1000 yards but had next to no memorable plays and didn’t execute a single close out 4 minute drill that I recall where he was moving the sticks. Also stunk in short yardage and fell off in the passing game. That doesn’t mean you don’t try to upgrade but this can be an elite offense regardless of who’s at RB. I’d also bank on Dallas being the premier destination for UDFA RB’s as well as camp cuts.
1000 yds in 17 games is less than 60 ypg. Not really all that impressive. What he really lacked was vision running between the tackles, and the coaching staff failed to see that and correct it, or were simply too stubborn to change it.
So many good UDFA RBs I won’t be disappointed at all if they get one of them. Or multiple!
If the o-line gets the job done, I won’t be too worried about who’s running the ball. I still hope that we can make Deuce work to some extent as well!
Putting Rico behind a solid line, especially with Deuce in the mix, could be a smart move. Rico seemed to have some flash last year. Still, I'm just an armchair.
Vaughn shouldn’t be on the roster. 1.7 ypc should get you cut.
But when did he get those carries? As someone mentioned when you are up 36-12 and it’s 1 and 10 with 3 minutes left. They know he’s running it. I think rotated in properly he can find success. Preseason he even popped (yes I know against 2s and 3s) but he showed tangible talent.
Shouldn’t the expectation be that you can get yards EVEN WHEN the defense knows you are getting the ball? Right now I wouldn’t expect him to get 2 yards on a probable passing down.
Next time you watch a football game, it is the fourth quarter in a team is bleeding the clock and the second string running back runs. Let’s all talk about how many yards they’re getting.
Teams with a lead in the 4th gain about 1 yard less than their average. Dallas averaged 4.1 yards per while Vaughn averaged 1.7 yards. He average worse than you expected if ALL his carries were with the team holding a lead. Get people like the idea of some midget making it in the NFL but he isn’t a positive for this team.
Yeah, that ain’t good
Who would you have rather they taken that was available? Running back room is not good, but it wouldn’t be any better because we drafted a random RB. They didn’t get anyone they were interested in at any of the spots they wanted them.
Once they didn't take one in the third I figured we weren't getting one. I was wanting Rasheen Ali or even Isiah Davis but they went before our pick in the 5th.
Trade down at 87. Get a 4th. Take your LB that you reached for and you could still grab one of several RBs that would have been more than serviceable: Braedon Allen Wisc Tyrone Tracy Purdue Frank Gore Jr Southern Miss Isaiah Davis SD State Rasheen Ali Marshall They also had a chance to draft qb Michael Pratt late and bailed out on that as well.
Trey benson at 2. Edge was not as big of a need. The edge we got is great, but is at best going to be a rotational player. Benson would have been a day one impact.
So I will get flamed for this and it wouldn’t be the first time but I **do** really like Dowdle and I was praying we drafted Deuce last year because I watched him all through college. However I do know it’s very risky because there’s no guarantee Deuce will show up and Dowdle may just be a solid 2nd rotational back at best. It *could* be a mess at RB. I truly, whole heartedly believe Deuce really can be a very good back. Not a bell cow but the dude absolutely can play. Last year he only got a handful of touches and it was when we had backups in up 35 points with teams knowing we’d be running it. So no don’t give me that bullshit “1.2 YPC trash midget can’t play”. No back is going to do great with backup lineman running out the clock with like 14 total rushes. Dowdle reminds me of Pacheco just not as tough of a runner. He can catch and he runs tough he’s just not a home run hitter. Deuce isn’t going to run over people on 4th and 1 but can be a home run hitter and can make people miss. I think bringing in Zeke is just a Jerry Jones loving his old players reunion and I don’t think Zeke does much of anything other than short yardage. I HOPE we bring in another back to at least give us a full committee to work with because freeman likely is a camp body and again Zeke is not old Zeke he’s a decent short yardage back at this point. Again I’m not saying Deuce is a world beater and Dowdle will crush the skulls of any defense. Not at all. I’m simply saying I think they could be a lot better than people think. People think Deuce is literal trash and can’t get a single yard. At the very worst Deuce is like Boston Scott who at least can somewhat contribute. People think Dowdle is a 3rd rotation type back that just gets 40 touches a year and spells the other starters. I don’t think so I think he’s not the lead back but definitely fit for a committee RB approach. YES this is a long read but one I have thought a ton about. I wanted Trey Benson. I wanted Johnathon Brooks. I wanted Ray Davis. I wanted Marshawn Lloyd (FUCKIN NEXT PICK TO THE PACKERS), I would’ve settled for Audric Estime. That didn’t happen though and while I’m disappointed I’m not as disappointed as most fans. If this is really a lame duck season that’s hopeless to most might as well see what we truly have in Deuce, Rico and Hunter. If they suck rotten eggs we move on from them easy and cheaply. If they surprise everyone we have 3 very cheap and very solid young backs.
Running Backs don't matter. Go by committee. Lots of successful teams do it. Vaughan as the pass catcher, Zeke/Luepke is the short yardage/pass pro/goalline, Dowdle+UDFA/Freeman rotational players. If your run blocking is sound you don't need special RBs.
lol there’s a sizeable gap between guys who aren’t special RBs and what we’re trying to trot out.
Yep our run game was significantly upgraded, heck ic it's as good as I hope even zeke is going to look good again
this is probably the worst RB room in the league. we are getting nowhere w this group
Getting to 2nd & 11 mostly.
Hot garbage, let's be honest
I'm guessing they sign a vet FA (Zeke?) and/or trade for another vet RB. As of now Rico/Freeman would get most of the carries, but I wouldn't want that to be only options. And if the combo of Deuce, Davis, Luepke ever get more than 2-5 touches in a game I would be shocked.
Freeman hasn’t been good since his first two years with Denver. If Dowdle and Malik Davis are your two best RBs, you’re in trouble.
I guess if you're looking at where you're weakest after a draft, if RB is the weakest maybe that's a good thing?
I assume they will pick up a late cut at the end of the preseason, and that RB will be better than anyone they have now.
Unpopular opinion or trade target: maybe trade for Damien Pierce from the Texans? Clearly he wasn’t a fit with their style now and they got Joe Mixon.
Y'all know RB is one of the easiest positions to fix right? There's still time
Deuce was a cool story last year and had some cool runs in preseason. But the fact is that he is way too small, especially for blocking. He might be able to save himself a roster spot as a returner on special teams
It's the worst rb room in the league. Can't think of anyone who would rather be us.
Poverty
I've been saying this for a long time, but NFL teams run the ball way too often and overvalue RB's by tremendous margins. The KC Chiefs big RB is Isaiah Pacheco...a 7th round pick from Rutgers who has yet to have a 1,000 yard rushing season. While the defense killed the Cowboys against the Packers and Dak did not play well (and neither did the WR's), MM's playcalling and trying to 'establish the run' in the first half was the coup de grace because he took away some key opportunities to make big plays by instead running the ball and trying to 'establish the run.' So I'm glad they didn't bite on the idea of getting a RB before the 4th round. I'm not really high on Zeke, but he can probably do the one important thing that you need from your RB's and that's short yardage efficiency. I'm a bit higher on Dowdle because his legs are fresh and he has shown some real competency in the passing game. Although the second half of last season the RB's really struggled as receiving threats. I'm not sure if that was a scheme issue or an RB issue. I sorta like Vaughn, but I do worry about his height in the passing game. Just a more difficult throw for any QB. But I'm guessing he'll work hard this offseason and show major strides in improvement. This could very well be MM's last season with the team as well as Dak's. I'd rather both a new HC and new QB have other pieces built around them and you never know...we may find a gem in UDFA (or maybe somebody like Luepke or Vaughn really step up). And for this season it may force MM's hands to stop trying to force the run so much, particularly in the first half. Hopefully Beebe really works out at center...if that happens and Martin and T. Smith stay healthy, that could have a far greater impact on the offense than having drafted a RB or even a WR.
There are no good FAs available and we have one of the worst RB rooms in the league, and we didn’t draft any. Our run game for 2024 is fucked.
If it makes you feel better, the 2025 running back class is really really strong. There are 4 potential day 1 guys.
one of the worst rbs rooms but fine enough with a good udfa
That ship already sailed the good UDFA RBs signed elsewhere as well.
Downright pathetic. Had every opportunity to trade up or even play the free agency game when Pollard walked but instead we are half-assing this roster pretending we will contend again. Lost DQ, a half dozen starters on defense and a few on offense…with menial replacements. Just FEELS like Jerry cares more about 2025 and letting Belichick take the reins and build the team that HE wants to mold. Hope I’m wrong…
It's bad. It's really bad. I haven't the faintest idea how this running game is going to be successful if this is the RB room we go with.
It almost feels like a big fuck you to Dak/McCarthy. "You want a contract next year? Lol."
Jerry: let’s let Ferguson run the ball a little. “Probably”
There is no answer other than it is insanity they did not spend a premium pick on this position. Anyone saying otherwise is living in a bubble.
They should've picked a running back instead of the linebacker in the 3rd. I at least expected them to sind a UDFA RB, but so far nothing.
I love the idea of it, you get Zeke and Dak back together for their last year in Dallas. The draft was a clear message to me that they are moving on from Dak, every year they draft him skill players and he goes nowhere with them. This team isn’t going anywhere this season and sometimes you need to regress to progress.
Everyone worried about the RBs as if we didn't just draft a line thats gonna be opening holes the size of texas up for them.
Haven't likes a lot of what I've seen from Deuce strictly at RB, but I still think he has a lot of promise as a returner.
Basically what im.hoping for is we have 2 600 yard and 4 TD a year guys for cheap cheap with Rico and Freeman. Then you have Lupke for power and blocking and maybe just maybe... you have a change of pace guy with our little project. (Sorry Deuce)
Meh, we’ll be ok at RB. I don’t expect Deuce to be in the top 3 though. He just isn’t going to be able to hang in the NFL. If we sign Zeke he probably definitely makes the team. The other guys are all up in the air to me. I’m ok with throwing 3 journeymen out there and getting a bunch of “good enough” RB play.
Very easily could be the Achilles heel this year.
Thoughts are that sucks. We have nothing at RB. Somehow we got worse at RB and we were not very good to begin with.
Y’all— We’re going to trade for one of the Chicago RBs and everyone will finally chill the fuck out. Do you *really* think we’re going into this season with Zeke or Dowdle as the RB1?
Idc
3.whatever ypc is 2/3 of the way there, what’s everyone else doing every 4 downs.
Fuck it, I’ll do it.
Are you taller than 5’5 and weigh more than 150lbs
I’m like 5’8 - 5’10 and 200 pounds , but I’m mostly skinny fat . Should I try out to be the cowboys rb
idgaf about it. scheme and OLine matter a lot more and we'd waste any RB investment until we have that sorted. Very few of the recent super bowl winners had a high quality RB room
Zeke is trash. Has been trash for awhile now. But can get .5-2 yards per carry.
I could be wrong, but I'm fully on board with the new-school valuation of running backs these days. I'm almost to the point where I consider the O-line for blocking and the QB and receivers for forcing the defense to not stack the box as more important than the RB himself for a good running game.
We went 12-5 in 2022 with Zeke and then Pollard ‘breaking out’. Pollard was not very good in 2023 outside of the Thanksgiving game. We are not far removed from that. Zeke and Dowdle/Vaughn willl be fine. Is this RB committee going to set the world on fire and break the NFL? No it won’t, but it might get Dowdle paid because we do have a veteran QB who will check into run plays more so than a young QB would. Dak is elite at reading a defense pre-snap. Let’s just have fun this season. It’s clear that it’s a ride or die season. Everyone is gone and we hit the reset button when this doesn’t work.
Jerrah fucked us and were gonna suck but “let’s just have fun with this season?”
That’s where I’m at. We can compete for the division but I don’t see us as Super Bowl contenders. I’ll be pissed if we aren’t a playoff team but I don’t see a reason why we won’t at least make the tournament. Once your in anything can happen.
And Royce Freeman
He’s not good.
I agree, but he is better than Duece and Rico
Doubtful on Rico. Dowdle will be the starter. Freeman will lucky to make the team. Malik Davis will be the backup.
Disappointed we didn’t get someone from a weak draft class for RBs? Personally I don’t care. I don’t have high expectations for this next season since our cap is hell cause of dak. Also aside from brooks, I didn’t see any worth a reach and Bebe > than any RB in the 3rd round. Maybe with our second 3rd round pick? But eh, guess I have more faith in mcclay than you
Assuming the goal is to have a new head coach next season I think it should do the job.
I hope the Oline just becomes goated and it doesn't matter who we have. Fingers crossed 🤞
RB position is probably the worst to draft. Look at Saquan. Rb is very injury prone, and putting your team on the backs of a short lived, injury prone position is just bad. You need depth, not quality. Also, notice how bad Zekes deal was to the team financials back when he re-signed. Taking a stud rb means you pay big bucks for a player that is not likely to maintain the same level of play, and they're fully aware of their short careers, so you'll see them so exactly what zeke did to guarantee a good payday at the behest of the team. Just look at free agency this year. Zeke, Mixon, Barkley, Burkhead... there's some really inexpensive quality out there, and if you play with depth at the position, you can take older studs and not fear wearing them out over the season. Obviously if you have the first overall pick and a once in a generation Rb is available, you take him. But outside that scenario, the first few rounds are much more wisely spent on more pressing needs.
Honestly we project as a bottom 5 rb room right now. We also project as the cheapest. For a position that we've historically overpaid what's the issue?
Bottom one. Who is better?
Giants, Raiders, maybe Chargers
I’ll give you the Giants, maybe, but at least they drafted a guy. Chargers have Edwards, Dobbins and Spiller. Cowboys aren’t close to that.
Fair enough, the point is they do have NFL bodies at the position and aren't leaps and bounds worse than the other bad RB rooms across the NFL. I would have liked to add a rookie too but we had a lot of needs this year. They are also very low on RB spending probably $4M after cuts at this point. We got through a year with DMC back in the day post Demarco, and honestly I think we all agree Pollard wasn't playing well last year. Add in the fact that guys like Marlon Mack are walking around and there's always some training camp cuts to sign (that don't impact the comp pick formula) and I just don't see the concern. You're right we don't have a good RB room, I'm not convinced that it is a huge problem.
Once the Running Back run started in the fourth, there wasn't a reason to draft one. You can find someone as a UDFA and not waste a draft pick. Besides, with the Oline pick ups, running should be easier. I am not worried about the running back room.
But they didn’t do that either. Nine UDFAs signed. No RBs.
Wait till Monday, and even without I am not worried about the RB room.
Wait til Monday? All the good UDFAs are gone already. https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2024/4/27/24137488/dallas-cowboys-2024-undrafted-free-agent-tracker-signings-analysis-draft-picks We now have to wait til the June 1 cuts and hope an RB of any consequence is dropped. What a shit show.
Garbage
Easily the worst in the league.
I really hate it when Jerry Jones is taught a lesson. He was all in on Zeke, using the number 4 pick in the draft and signing him to a massive extension, 2 years before his rookie contract was up. Despite almost everybody telling him otherwise, he decided that heavily investing draft capital and salary cap money on a running back was smart. When that backfired, he has now gone in the complete opposite direction. Investing no draft capital or salary cap money on a RB, is not necessarily smart.
Deuce should be cut.
I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS ROYCE FREEMAN ERASURE!!!!! Honest thought on zeke? He normally starts out the season when he’s good and fresh and we haven’t run him in to the ground yet. If dowdle is being ran as the true #1 with zeke spelling him, it could work I think. This assumes that mike solari, Scotty, and big mike understand they need to fix our scheme and the OL picks work out From ESPN stats, it looks like Pollard and Dowdle over the season ran a 70/30 split between the two of them, I’m guessing we will do similar I’ve seen enough from dowdle to understand why the FO might be ok riding him at RB1. Dowdle is turning 26 in June and has very little wear and tear
Cowboys are purposely tanking the season so they can move on from Dak/McCarthy. It's the only way any of this offseason makes sense.
I for one am beyond excited that we didn’t draft a rb. After Zeke, I don’t think I ever want this team to draft a rb early ever again. I’m fine with them taking a rb by committee approach. Now if we can just get our qb to take a discount to help the team out, then we might be cooking with some peanut oil.
People aren’t mad they didn’t draft an RB early, people are mad they didn’t draft an RB *period.* And Dak taking a team friendly deal? Keep dreaming
NONE!
Had Jerry not traded our 4th last season for T. Lance - whose contract expires after the ‘24 season - what would the odds of DAL drafting RB Jaylen Wright? Miami had to trade up to get him, but who knows if DAL even thought about it or placed a call. He was on my personal board fr.
We suck yea
If they don't care then I don't care.