The Cowboys’ running back platoon feels perilously thin, with an injury to any member of the rotation being the last thing the offense needs to deal with.
And yet here we are, with news emerging Friday that second-year man Deuce Vaughn has been sidelined the past two days with a hamstring injury. ESPN’s Todd Archer was the first to report the development out of Oxnard.
A sixth-round pick last spring, the 5-foot-5 Vaughn failed to live up to the hype that came with his emotional draft-day selection. The electrifying Kansas State product touched the ball just 30 times over seven game appearances, amassing a grand total of 80 combined rushing and receiving yards as a rookie.
Dallas placed him on injured reserve in early January with an ankle injury.
But with Tony Pollard now in Tennessee, 2024 would provide a fresh opportunity to share snaps with Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, and others. Vaughn had even reportedly been taking snaps as a slot receiver, working on his route-running and pass-catching skills in anticipation of perhaps being used creatively in Mike McCarthy’s offense.
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Some might also speculate that Vaughn’s receiver work is a signal that he’s showing minimal viability as a dedicated NFL running back, and the team is simply looking to see if he offers enough value at a second position to warrant a roster spot.
Deuce Vaughn is dealing with a hamstring issue that has kept him off the field the last two days.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 2, 2024
Neither the cause nor the severity of the injury is known, but hamstring maladies are notorious for lingering, and Vaughn’s inability to practice- especially as the Cowboys near their preseason games- likely won’t help his chances of making the team’s 53-man roster.
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