The Cowboys' minds in Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Mike McCarthy and Will McCray have been in the business long enough to understand the difference between the declining value of running backs and the importance of the running game in the NFL's 21st century. I know what I've done. They acted all weekend and especially Saturday as if it wasn't.
Over the first two days, the Cowboys drafted players they hope will fill holes in the offensive line and front seven of the defense. On Saturday, they had four chances to acquire a running back to replace Tony Pollard, who left for the Tennessee Titans. Before the first selection of the day, many of the big names were wiped off the running back board, having played the position in the 4th round (6 backs selected out of 15 picks) and 5th round (3 in a row). Ta.
So they selected a cornerback, wide receiver, guard and nose tackle.
The current running back room consists of Rico Doodle, Deuce Vaughn, and Royce Freeman. The expectation is that they re-sign Zeke Elliott.
It's not just about lowering your status. He has given up on running away. This is their way of saying good luck to Dak and CeeDee, who will be carrying this offense for 17 games next fall.
Late Friday, when Jerry Jones was asked about giving up running back for two third-round picks, I thought he was mostly having fun talking to the media. “First of all, the draft isn't over yet. It's a thought,” Jones said. “We also have a vested interest in what the future holds with Zeke.”
Jones went on to say that Elliott could be a starting running back in this league in his ninth season because the owners saw Zeke's performance late last season. I won't spend much time on this stupidity, but I will say this. In his final season in Dallas, Elliott averaged 3.8 yards per carry. It was clearly the lowest point of his career. Elliott averaged 3.5 yards per carry last year with the Patriots.
It's not going in the right direction. As for what Jones thought he saw in the late-season games, Zeke ran 89 times for 265 yards in New England's final six games. He has just under 3 yards per carry.
Sieg is not a realistic answer, nor is the well-traveled Freeman. Dowdle didn't look much like him by the end of last year, when he was playing a reserve role behind Pollard. And the only time Deuce becomes a fan favorite is in the third quarter of a preseason game, when he plays against a defensive player on the verge of being released.
I'm with the Cowboys for overspending at the running back position, especially overpaying Zeke as a holdout in 2019, along with Le'Veon Bell, Todd Gurley, and many others. Because the proof of what was going on in the second contract was staring them in the face.
This is a position reserved for rookies and first-time contract players. Zeke led the league in rushing as a rookie in 2016. Kareem Hunt did it in 2017. In 2018, Saquon Barkley finished second behind Zeke as a rookie.
So get one of those. This position also allows you to take a late hit in the draft. The Rams selected Kyren Williams from Notre Dame in the 2022 fifth round. He was third in rushing last season. The Chiefs took Isaiah Pacheco in the seventh round in 2022. In an offense clearly built around Patrick Mahomes throwing the ball, Pacheco ran for 935 yards last year, averaging 4.6 yards, and then added 313 yards in the playoffs.
However, the position cannot be ignored. We talk about a bygone era and see wide receivers making over $30 million a year, but the best team in the Cowboys' conference is San Francisco, and the 49ers run the ball hard. Christian McCaffrey remains the only running back eligible for MVP consideration.
Teams that played in the conference title game in January ranked 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th in average yards per carry. The Chiefs were last in that group, running primarily to give Mahomes and Travis Kelce some breathing room. Detroit ran the ball very well with David Montgomery on the inside and rookie Jahmil Gibbs on the outside. Baltimore just added Derrick Henry to the league's most dangerous read option play with Lamar Jackson.
Dallas' biggest rival just paired Barkley with Jalen Hurts in the backfield. Cowboys? McCarthy talks about the run, but the only thing the team has done well in recent years is throw the football. Pollard was a bit of a failure as a starter, averaging only 4.0 yards after averaging 5.2 yards in a feature role as a backup to Zeke. His recovery from a broken leg may also have played a role. Zeke hasn't had a great average in years. And in 2024, the Cowboys' plan is to start two rookies on an offensive line that was inefficient as a run-blocking unit in 2023.
What if Zeke, Freeman, Dowdle, or a rookie free agent is looking for a hole? The Cowboys didn't have to spend any money, just a portion of Saturday's draft capital was enough. they didn't care. Let's see how it goes.
Twitter/X: @TimCowlishaw
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