Cowboys running back roster review: Dallas currently has no real lead back under contract
Cowboys running back roster review: Dallas currently has no real lead back under contract
This offseason, the Cowboys’ roster will undergo varying degrees of upheaval.
Some groups may have just minimal changes, while others may look drastically different in 2024.
Running back is one position that might see significant movement,
as both Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle are set to enter free agency.
Pollard spent 2023 under the franchise tag and was, if possible, quietly productive.
Despite only having one 100-yard game this season, Pollard finished with 1,005 running yards,
311 receiving yards, and six touchdowns. He started all 17 regular-season games and the playoffs,
although his numbers were limited by career low efficiency.
He only averaged 4.0 yards per rush and 5.7 yards each reception.
Dowdle finally stayed fit and delivered during his fourth season with the club.
Dowdle, who played as a backup and appeared on only 22% of offensive snaps,
with 361 rushing yards, 144 receiving, and four touchdowns.
His 4.1 average per run was comparable to Pollard’s, but he performed better as a receiver, with 8.5 per reception.
Both are expected to become unrestricted free agents this offseason.
Pollard is going to turn 27 and Dowdle is 26 years old,
both of which are not exactly prime ages in the modern RB scene.
And, after an unproductive season running the ball,
the Cowboys may believe they’d be better suited going with cheaper choices and using
their salary space to upgrading the offensive line and other areas of the team.
Frankly, he may not even be given the opportunity to resign.
However, if the Cowboys make an offer, it will most likely be lowball,
allowing Pollard to explore free agency before making a decision.
Dowdle would be easier to bring back given his minimal NFL experience and injury history.
He’s a strong all-around back who might be given the opportunity to stick around at a backup’s contract.
However, he may first determine whether there is a demand for
his skills before accepting the discount to stay in Dallas.
If neither Pollard nor Dowdle returns this year, then things get really interesting.
RBs Under Contract for 2024
- Deuce Vaughn – $948k cap hit
- Malik Davis – $985k cap hit
- Hunter Luepke (FB) – $922k cap hit
- Snooper Conner – $915k cap hit
Even the most devoted pet cat lovers will be surprised if Vaughn or Davis are
named the Cowboys’ primary runners next season.
While they may fill out a depth chart,
neither should top it based on what we’ve seen thus far.
This appears to put Dallas in the market for a new RB1.
While the thought of acquiring a proven player like Derrick Henry,
Josh Jacobs, or Saquon Barkley is appealing, it is not consistent with Dallas’ recent approach to running back.
Following their experiences with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard, as well as cap concerns at other positions,
it appears that 2017 is the year for a “Moneyball” strategy.
Perhaps they will take a chance on a free agent like Clyde Edwards-Helaire or Cam Akers,
who are slightly older but have the potential to be productive in the proper situation.
Or they may look to the draft, possibly as high as the second round,
to receive four years of cheap labor from a pair of youthful legs.
In either situation, Dallas would like to keep cap prices low and hope
for unexpected output rather than hand out premium money and not receiving what they paid for.
Ironically, Zeke is currently the most expensive running back on the 2024 salary cap.
He’s no longer on the roster, but Dallas is still paying $6 million in dead money after his release in 2023.
Yet another reason not to not get back into long-term business with a veteran back.
We’ll have to wait and see if Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis are more than just campers.
Despite the post-draft fanfare and preseason sparks,
Vaughn was underutilized and underwhelming during the regular season.
Davis spent the year on the practice squad,
but he has shown that he can perform well in meaningful games.
It will also be intriguing to observe how the Cowboys evaluate Hunter Luepke at fullback.
He didn’t play much offensively, accounting for only 13% of snaps,
but he was a fixture on special teams.
Perhaps another offseason will help him grow technically and physically
so that he can be more effective as a lead blocker and receive more touches.
Clearly, there are many uncertainties about running back in Dallas’ 2024 summer.
They start from the top with Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle’s free agency and trickle all the way through.
At this point, it’s hard to predict what the depth chart will look like when the Cowboys head to training camp.
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