The Dallas Cowboys finally committed to running back Rico Dowdle as their primary back in 2024, but it appears too little too late. Starting the year with a committee approach, the Cowboys’ run game was largely stagnant despite average to above-average run blocking metrics. Starting the season 3-7, Dallas finally decided to focus on Dowdle and give him the lion’s share of carries, and the fifth-year back excelled in the role.
Although he had an abysmal Week 16 performance, Dowdle is closing in on a 1,000-yard season and has been among the top-10 runners in several categories this season, with breakaway runs and hitting pay dirt being the glaring exceptions. Dowdle is a free agent this offseason, and with the Cowboys jettisoning Ezekiel Elliott the first time and deciding not to payTony Pollard or Derrick Henry last offseason, the question is whether or not they’ll look to pony up cash for the position in 2025.
If so, they may want to consider going outside the organization for someone with a longer track record than Dowdle has.
At least, that’s the thought process of Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department, who collectively think that Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris would be a perfect fit.
Dallas entered this weekend averaging just 91.2 rushing yards per game, which is the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Lead backs Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott are both impending free agents in the offseason, so the front office will undoubtedly be in the running back market this spring.
Harris is an intriguing option since he had over 1,000 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns during the first three years of his career. In 2024, he’s averaging the second-highest yards per game (67.5) of his career and needs just 123 yards to break the quadruple-digit mark again. Plus, the former first-round pick will only be 27 in March.
Spotrac has suggested that Harris could command $9 million or more, annually, in a free agent deal. Being 27 for all of 2025 would likely put him in the range of a three-year deal, which would put him at around $27 million in total contract value.
After choosing not to spend $8 million a year on a 30-year-old Henry last offseason, that would be a hard pill for Cowboys’ fans to follow.
Harris has been solid, as B/R mentioned, rushing for 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons. Like Dowdle, he hasn’t shown that breakaway ability, but he’s found the end zone consistently and on a regular basis.