The Dallas Cowboys running back room had a lot to prove entering offseason workouts after the departure of Tony Pollard in free agency and the team’s failure to land a big name free agent or replacement in the draft.
Dallas opted to reunite with veteran Ezekiel Elliott, who spent the previous year with the New England Patriots.Behind Elliott, the team boasts a handful of unproven rushers which led head coach Mike McCarthy to say the team would move forward with a running back-by-committee approach.
The Cowboys’ running backs outside of Zeke and Rico Dowdle will be competing for their spots on the roster. That list includes Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, and Nathaniel Peat.
Because the team’s only proven running back is an aging Zeke, they have been getting zero respect in the rankings and consistently rate near the bottom.
Is there any doubt that the Dallas Cowboys would be at the bottom of the list? They brought back 29-year-old Ezekiel Elliott, and the only other veterans on the roster are Rico Dowdle and Royce Freeman. Deuce Vaughn could have a role as a passing-down back, that is, if he makes the roster. The Cowboys are a team primed to add another back during the final cutdowns.
– Marcus Mosher, The 33rd Team
It would be easy to get upset about consistently seeing Dallas at the bottom of the rankings for the position, but anyone who is being honest has to understand the skepticism.
It’s a prove it year for the running back room. There’s no doubt about it.Perhaps someone will go on to have a breakout year, but for now, the starter of the future seems to be a late addition during the final roster cuts or a stud running back in the 2025 NFL Draft.