Assuming the Dallas Cowboys’ 2024 rushing leader hasn’t joined the team, their top three running backs on the depth chart are Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Malik Davis. There are still a few guys in free agency they might turn to, especially if the best prospects are gone before they’re on the clock in Round 2. They’re probably eyeing a few prospects in the NFL Draft to take the lead role.
Dallas should look at one of these three remaining free agents rather than reaching for a running back in the draft because they have too many flaws in their roster. They might be Big D’s best dog, but none of them are superstars at this stage in their lives.
3. Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott is the “break glass in case of emergency” option as running back. Elliott is already paid $6 million in 2024 for not playing for the team, so a reunion with him would be awkward. That’s because Elliott inked a very large agreement with Jerry Jones back in 2019. Although they terminated the arrangement as soon as it became financially feasible, Jones said he doesn’t regret it.
Elliott and the Cowboys have maintained their cordial relationship even after parting ways prior to the 2023 season. When he returned to AT&T Stadium with the New England Patriots, a video homage was even shown in his honor.
A return is therefore not completely out of the question.
Elliott got 642 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and another 313 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver in New England. Despite having a career-low 3.5 yards per carry, he was still able to suit up for all 17 games and lost yardage only infrequently. Elliott isn’t the best choice, but given their current circumstances, they could do worse.
2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Former first-round picks who failed to live up to expectations at their previous stop are often brought in by the Cowboys front management. Frequently, the athlete hasn’t lived up to their draft status even if they are more than capable of performing at the NFL level. As a result, their original franchise moves on, but since Dallas has less invested in them, they are content for them to play a supporting role.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who the Kansas City Chiefs selected with the 32nd overall pick in 2020, may be one of these players. The LSU product had 1,100 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in his first 13 games as a rookie. That was his best season as a professional; after that, he had durability issues and Isiah Pacheco eventually took his spot.
During the course of four seasons, Edwards-Helaire averaged 4.2 yards per attempt and concluded his Kansas City career with 1,845 yards and twelve touchdowns. In addition, he was a respectable receiving option, hauling in 89 passes for 765 yards and another seven touchdowns. But in 2023, he only managed 223 yards, with 3.2 yards per attempt.
He may benefit greatly from a change of scenery, and he might be able to prevent the Dallas running game from becoming atrociously bad. With an average of 11.1 yards per reception in 2023, he was still a reliable option on third down, so that’s at least something.
1. J.K. Dobbins
Dez Bryant might be onto something.
The former wide receiver for the Pro Bowl has been pleading with the Cowboys on social media to choose a running back, and he has J.K. Dobbins in mind as a fantastic alternative.
Bryant and Dobbins were teammates in Baltimore, so Dez knows what he’s talking about when he says Dobbins works hard. And when healthy, the former Ohio State star can be dynamic. The problem is that he’s rarely healthy.
Since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Dobbins has played in just 24 games — with 15 of those coming in his rookie campaign. He managed just eight games in 2022 after missing the entire 2021 campaign due to a torn ACL. He felt fully healthy in 2023 but tore his Achilles in Week 1.
Now a free agent, Dobbins has recently been given clearance to resume activities and will be visiting with teams soon.
With Derrick Henry now in Baltimore, Dobbins will be looking for a new home and Dallas should be one of the teams interested. There’s a risk that he could suffer another injury, which is why they would need to also draft a running back, but there’s also a chance he could return to form and vastly improve their running game.
The reward outweighs the risk on this one.
