Tag: Deuce Vaughn

Teams are eliminating this unique Cowboys weapon, so how will Dallas fix it?

Teams are avoiding KaVonate Turpin and it’s time the Cowboys figure out how to stop that. | From @ReidDHanson

Let’s run through a quick strategy session, shall we? Let’s say an opposing team is fielding two kick returners. One of those returners is a reserve safety with average speed and below average return ability. The other returner is an actual kick return specialist with elite speed and Pro Bowl return ability. How would you handle this situation as the kicking team?

If you answered, “kick it to the reserve safety” you’re not alone. Each of the Cowboys opponents this season has opted to target the safety, Juanyeh Thomas, rather than the professional return man, KaVonate Turpin. It’s not hard to see why either. Turpin is one of the most feared return men in the game today. If given the choice between the two, no one in their right mind would target Turpin. It’s why the former TCU star only has two returns on the season while Thomas has six.

https://twitter.com/GehlkenNFL/status/1561395165071380481

This strategy has rendered Turpin nothing more than a lead blocker on the kick return unit. At 5-foot-9, 153-pounds, he’s not exactly the ideal blocker, but if teams are kicking away from him what else is he supposed to do?

It seems there’s a Turpin avoidance problem at the moment in Dallas and it’s incumbent on the Cowboys to figure out a solution.

One possible solution is upgrading the return spot next to Turpin. Thomas is averaging just 24 yards per return this season, well below league average and significantly below Turpin’s 34.5. Thomas also has the fourth most return attempts in the NFL, indicating it’s not a product of sample size.

It stands to reason a more explosive player could produce better results in the role. Possible solutions are Deuce Vaughn, Rico Dowdle, Jalen Tolbert and Ryan Flournoy. Given Donovan Wilson’s volativity at safety, Thomas could really stand to get more snaps at safety anyway.

Another possible solution is to fight the opponent’s predictability with unpredictability. Opponents are predictably targeting the player opposite Turpin so what if the Cowboys disguise which side of the field Turpin is on?

If both return men begin the process positioned in the middle of the field, making a break to their respective sides only when the kicking motion has begun, they will remove the kicking team’s ability to target specific players. It would give Turpin a 50-50 shot at returning the ball which would be a marked improvement over what he’s getting today.

What the Cowboys can’t do is keep allowing teams to dictate the terms of a return because they’re just going to keep targeting the man not named “Turpin” every time. In that case the Cowboys might as well just take Turpin off the field altogether and replace him with an actual lead blocker since that’s all he’s been doing anyway.

It’s innovation time in Dallas. John Fassel and crew are facing a very predictable situation right now and they need to find ways to work around it.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtlocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Cowboys working out 4x-Pro Bowl RB coming off down season

Report: Cowboys to fly running back Calvin Cook to Dallas for a workout.

After signing wideout CeeDee Lamb to a massive extension, it appears as if Dallas has now shifted focus to the running back position. Sources tell NFL insider Tom Pelissero that the Cowboys will be flying free-agent running back and four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook to Dallas for a workout.

Flirtations with Cook are nothing new but the team is extending their dance to a face-to-face meeting.

The Vikings selected Cook in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Florida State. He failed to reach 1,000 combined rushing yards in his first two seasons, but broke out in his third year en route to four consecutive millenium campaigns.

He was named to the Pro Bowl four times, each season between 2019 and 2022.

After his release from Minnesota in 2023, Cook signed with the New York Jets in the middle of August but failed to find his footing and was released by the team in early January. The veteran back tallied 214 yards on 67 carries averaging 3.2 yards per rush.

Less than a week later, Baltimore signed Cook to their practice squad to help with their playoff push.

Cook dealt with a shoulder injury in 2023 but looks to be healed from the injury that may have impacted him last season. Something must give in the running back room if Dallas signs the veteran.

Ezekiel Elliott was brought back to Dallas after a one-year hiatus in New England. The team also employs RB Rico Dowdle, who figures to be the back who shoulders the heaviest of the load in the rotation. Second-year backs Hunter Luepke and Deuce Vaughn are among the favorites to land a roster spot but the addition of Cook could complicate his situation.

Dallas could also choose to add Cook after the season begins to avoid guaranteeing his salary for the entire 2024 season.

After sitting out free agency, Dallas has been very active adding players in the last few weeks. Cook would be another big name added to owner Jerry Jones’ “All In” offseason.

Fact or fluke: RB Deuce Vaughn to plead his case for Cowboys roster spot

Can Deuce Vaughn repeat his preseason performance and win a Cowboys roster spot? | From @ReidDHanson

To anyone who forgot Deuce Vaughn was on the Cowboys roster, the second-year running back offered up a friendly reminder in Las Vegas last week. The 5-foot-6 dynamo from Kansas State has been a fan favorite since joining Dallas as a sixth-round pick. Not only did his drafting make for elite must-see TV, Vaughn came with a college highlight reel that could rival anyone’s.

Unfortunately, his hype never matched his production in the NFL, and his rookie year only produced 40 yards on 23 attempts. His 1.7 yards-per-attempt made a compelling case that Vaughn’s size, or lack thereof, had finally caught up with him.

Concern grew over the offseason regarding Vaughn’s trustworthiness in pass protection, effectiveness between the tackles and general ability to avoid negative runs. In many roster predictions, Vaughn found himself on the outside looking in. Last season’s feel-good story quickly turned to this season’s afterthought. Apparently, no one told Vaughn that.

After missing a portion of training camp nursing injury, Vaughn reminded everyone he still belongs in the conversation. Vaughn put together a series of runs highlighting his elusiveness and ability to pick up positive gains in tough situations.

With one more preseason game left on the schedule, Vaughn has one more chance to prove his value and show he belongs on the Cowboys final 53-man roster.

Working in Vaughn’s favor is the unimpressive nature of the Cowboys RB room. In the post Tony Pollard era, the Cowboys are fairly pedestrian at the RB position. A reunion with Ezekiel Elliott is more about setting a floor than elevating the ceiling. Veteran Royce Freeman is similarly safe, albeit unspectacular, in his fit. Aside from 26-year-old Rico Dowdle, there doesn’t appear to be any game breakers on the depth chart. If Vaughn can prove his performance last week wasn’t a fluke, he could claim a spot on the Cowboys roster after all.

In the Cowboys last preseason game Saturday against the Chargers, Vaughn gets one more opportunity to show he has the juice this 2024 roster needs. It’s not about rushing totals or even yards/carry. It’s about adding value to the running game. Can Vaughn elude tacklers? Can he survive contact in the backfield and avoid negative plays? Can he be a factor in the passing game either in pass protection or as a receiving target?

These are the questions Vaughn still needs to answer. He got himself back in the conversation last week, the challenge now is to prove it was no fluke and he can be a vital piece to this talent-hungry RB room.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Deuce Vaughn wanted to ‘showcase what I can do’ vs Raiders; was it enough to make Cowboys roster?

From @ToddBrock24f7: After a disappointing rookie season and a training camp hamstring injury, the shifty RB showed surprising power in his preseason debut.

Deuce Vaughn’s hamstring cost him two weeks of training camp and the preseason opener. Not ideal for a 22-year-old who can’t be at all sure he’s going to make the Cowboys’ 53-man regular-season roster.

Healed in time to take the field in Las Vegas, Vaughn sought to make the most of whatever hand he was dealt. He ended the night with just 34 yards on five carries, but he certainly showed enough to boost his stock heading into the final week and a half before cut day.

“I wanted to come out here and show what I could do,” Vaughn told reporters Saturday night following the team’s 27-12 exhibition win over the Raiders.

It was an obvious improvement over Vaughn’s showing as a rookie. Expected to be an electrifying change-of-pace backfield option in 2023, Vaughn struggled to put up numbers. He logged 20 carries over the Cowboys’ first five games but totaled only 40 yards. Over the next 13 games (playoffs included), he got just three more handoffs, netting zero yards. He was inactive for nine full contests and didn’t get on the field in two others.

Doubters immediately wrote him off as a bust, too small to be anything more than a novelty in the NFL. But his production Saturday, in his first preseason action, suggested otherwise.

Even more encouraging than his 6.8 yards-per-carry average was that they didn’t all come on some shifty splash play that depended on the 5-foot-5 Vaughn getting lost behind the offensive line and then turning on the afterburners.

In addition to displaying the speed and elusiveness that made him a camp darling last year, the 22-year-old also got to introduce some power to his game, something he says he’s put serious effort into developing.

“Kind of a testament to all the work I’ve out in over this offseason,” Vaughn explained, “because one of the biggest things I wanted to do was get a little bit bigger, get a little bit stronger in between the tackles, because in this league, that’s where the hay is made- those four-yard runs, those five-yard runs that are a little bit powerful- and be able to put your offense in a better situation on second and third down.”

His head coach noticed.

“I thought Deuce had some nice touches,” Mike McCarthy said from the podium at Allegiant Stadium after the Cowboys win. “Really, him, Royce, and Malik: you know, I was trying to get those guys all a certain number of carries tonight; it was a focus. I thought he ran well, broke tackles, bounced the ball [outside], made some nice runs.”

Those other backs McCarthy named are Vaughn’s top competition for a 2024 roster spot. Ezekiel Elliott and Rice Dowdle are locks; neither played at all on Saturday. But Royce Freeman led all Dallas backs with seven carries, while Malik Davis matched Vaughn’s five attempts. And while any of them could conceivably be RB3, it’s unlikely that the team keeps all of them.

So Vaughn knows that every rep he gets is a statement- not only for the Dallas coaching staff, but maybe also for the other 31 teams in the league.

“The good thing is we don’t have to make any decisions now,”McCarthy said. “I mean, we do have another full week left. We knew this coming in with our roster, that we’ve got some tough decisions when we get down to the end.”

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

To his credit, Vaughn sounded like someone who is well aware that the sentimentality that came with his emotional draft-day phone call last year in no way guarantees his spot in the locker room this year. And while he chooses not think of it as a camp battle, Vaughn- perhaps thanks to growing up with his father Chris serving as a Cowboys scout- understands that today’s teammates can become ex-teammates in the blink of an eye.

So it’s about being his best self, not beating out the guy next to him.

“I feel like for myself, it’s more important to just go out there and showcase what I can do. We have a great running back room. Every single one of those guys inside this room has a great skill set. I’ve learned a whole bunch from guys inside this locker room, the experience that we have. And for myself, it’s coming out here, it’s more like the foundation for myself to get back to … playing and getting ready for next week.”

One more week of camp, then a preseason game versus the Chargers. Vaughn hopes that doesn’t mark the end of the Cowboys chapter of his story. But he’s going to make sure that whatever happens, he’s improving every step of the way.

“Hoping to have some opportunity to show off some pass protection and stuff like that going into this next week, just showing up all the question marks that were given to me coming into this offseason,” said Vaughn. “The hard work that I put in to be able to showcase what I can do is what I want to shore up on going into this last week.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=video id=01j5e4fz2cm4fs8xtayr playlist_id=01eqbwens7sctqdrqg player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01j5e4fz2cm4fs8xtayr/01j5e4fz2cm4fs8xtayr-7bc80e519c39219b473733a76633d84f.jpg]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Do the Cowboys need to add a RB from the outside before season?

It’s likely the Cowboys will only keep three of their eight RBs on their final roster in 2024, do they need to search for another? | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys have come under fire for their handling of the running back position this year. Letting Tony Pollard sign a three-year, $21,750,000 deal with Tennessee wasn’t an issue. Handing big money to the RB position has long been regarded as questionable behavior. Re-signing the veteran Ezekiel Elliott to a one-year, $2 million deal wasn’t an issue either. An inexpensive safety net like Elliott made sense in a back-up capacity.

Letting the draft tick by 257 players without the Cowboys claiming a single RB? That baffled a few folks. After years of accusations of overpaying, over-drafting and just generally overinvesting, the Cowboys have made a wild adjustment in the way they handle the RB position.

This 180-degree heel turn of theirs set them on the path to enter the 2024 season with some combination of Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, Royce Freeman, Maliek Davis, Hunter Luepke, Deuce Vaughn, Snoop Conner and Nathaniel Peat. It’s a group that some have called the worst unit in the NFL and one even the most fervent of Cowboys fans has been having a difficult time getting excited about.

In the Cowboys first preseason game, Dowdle offered glimmers of hope. The fifth-year back out of South Carolina ran the ball three times for 14 yards. His day understandably ended early since he’s expected by many to be the top ball carrier in Dallas in 2024. Held out of action were Elliott and Freeman. The former, a veteran in whom the Cowboys are already well acquainted and the latter, a veteran who’s already banged up.

The rest of the lot played fairly uninspiring ball after Dowdle left the field. Conner led the rest of the group with a paltry 3.3 yards/carry average while no one else surpassed the 2.5 yards/carry mark. Blocking obviously played a big role in that inefficiency, but the ball carriers struggled to add anything of added value to the runs.

It’s all reaffirmed what many feared entering the preseason and supported what was happening in training camp; the Cowboys are weak at the RB position.

In a not-so-bold roster prediction, the Cowboys will likely round out their RB ranks with a player who’s not currently on the roster.

It’s fair to say other NFL teams will release someone who’s good enough to be claimed by Dallas and the Cowboys are just bidding their time until cutdown day arrives on August 27. Of the eight players listed above, it’s likely only three will make the Cowboys final 53 in 2024. It’s a list that includes Luepke the fullback since he’s reportedly beloved by the coaching staff and cross-training at the tight end position to boost his usefulness.

As things stand today, it looks like Dowdle, Elliott and Luepke are the only RBs currently in camp who are in line for a roster spot. Vaughn and Peat would then be the favorites to join the practice squad with a veteran to be named later to round out the rotation on the 53.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Report: Cowboys RB Deuce Vaughn dealing with hamstring injury

From @ToddBrock24f7: The diminutive running back has missed two practices with the issue, which could eventually impact his chances of making the 53-man roster.

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.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

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.

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.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[mm-video type=video id=01j49vfed6k2b5ecr2jw playlist_id=01eqbwens7sctqdrqg player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01j49vfed6k2b5ecr2jw/01j49vfed6k2b5ecr2jw-6bc4fbcfac0550de4e5f6512304ab1e1.jpg]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Cowboys’ Deuce Vaughn may stand to gain under new NFL kickoff format

Kick returns may be the best way for the Cowboys to use Deuce Vaughn in 2024. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys have had a tough time finding a role for Deuce Vaughn after making him their sixth-round pick in 2023. The 5-foot-6, 176-pound running back from Kansas State has a size problem in the NFL. For as talented and elusive he is as a runner, his size will always be an issue to overcome.

Used sparingly as a rookie, Vaughn posted just 40 yards at 1.7 yards/attempt as a situational running back. His limitations in pass protection put the health and safety of Dak Prescott in jeopardy and his inability to absorb contact made his effectiveness between the tackles limited.

Few questioned Vaughns skillset and what it could do in space – the problem was getting him the ball in space.

Just like in nearly every Cowboys offseason since the Mesozoic era, suggestions of using a backfield player in the slot more became a topic of conversation as of late. Vaughn was of course the player linked to the role this year and despite this idea never truly coming to fruition in the past, it excited a Dallas fanbase thirsty for new wrinkles to their often-uncreative offense.

But maybe the best opportunity for Vaughn to get the ball in space isn’t on offense at all. Maybe it’s in the revamped kick return game where Vaughn can make his biggest impact in 2024.

Much has been said about the NFL’s new kickoff process already but until it’s seen in action for some time, there’s a cloud of mystery surrounding its implementation and maximization.  With the bulk of the kicking team and return team lining up within 10 yards from each other, kick returns will take on a fundamentally different image in 2024. Without the traditional wedge return to run through, players like Vaughn could find an environment in which to thrive.

Per the new return rules, teams can position up to two players in the return zone. Assuming KaVontae Turpin is Returner 1, Vaughn could be seen as the favorite to snag the Returner 2 role. Returner 2 would have to be a player willing to run ahead and lead block, competent enough to return the kick himself, and respected enough to be used as a decoy in plays of misdirection.

While Vaughn may be diminutive in stature, he’s versatile and eager to prove, making him a fairly ideal return counterpart to the Pro Bowl return man Turpin.

It’s possible Vaughn will legitimately see more opportunities in the slot this season. It’s not a recommended course of action or even a very likely course of action, but it can never be ruled out. But the return game is somewhere he could really make a splash in 2024.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Is there hidden fantasy value among Dallas Cowboys running backs?

Is Zeke totally washed? Can Rico Dowdle emerge? Will Deuce Vaughn shine?

As the NFL’s top scoring offense last year, the Dallas Cowboys finished 14th in rushing (112.9 yards per game), led by running back Tony Pollard, who signed with the Tennessee Titans during the offseason. It was a swift fall from grace for the Memphis product after he was anointed RB1 following a tremendous 2022 campaign while splitting time with running back Ezekiel Elliott. Thrust into the primary role, he never recaptured that form.

Even with Pollard moving on, the Cowboys elected to invest zero draft capital at the position, instead handing out a pair of one-year deals in free agency, one to journeyman RB Royce Freeman and the other to Elliott, who returns after a season with the New England Patriots. They join last season’s No. 2 back, Rico Dowdle, and preseason darling Deuce Vaughn.

On paper, it’s a suspect unit, made doubly so by head coach Mike McCarthy’s well-established love of the passing game. Still, that doesn’t mean there won’t be fantasy value to be found. With that in mind, let’s look at Dallas’ backfield options for 2024.

Cowboys next top RB must have these 2 key qualities

Given the Cowboys roster there are a couple key traits they should be looking for when filling the RB1 role this 2024 draft. | From @ReidDHanson

No one knows who the next lead RB will be for the Cowboys. Ezekiel Elliott left in 2023 and now Tony Pollard has left in 2024. Dallas re-signed Rico Dowdle this month but with under 100 career carries, he’s not expected to shoulder the bulk of the load this season.

Options are limited behind Dowdle. After averaging just 1.7 yards/carry and posting an abysmal -1.39 in RYOE, some are wondering if Deuce Vaughn’s 5-foot-6, 176-pound frame is even capable of serving a supportive role. Hunter Luepke has always enjoyed a relatively large degree of support from Cowboys Nation. Fans thirsty for a return to the glory days of Daryl Johnston lead the contingent but new fans are buzzing in his hive as well. Malik Davis also lurks in the shadows, but he’s never moved beyond a dark horse contender.

No matter how one looks at the Cowboys contingent of RBs, it seems Dallas is without a true RB1 candidate and will likely be on the hunt for one in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.

Given the complementary pieces on the roster already and the top traits of successful RBs in today’s game, a couple key qualities stand out above the rest in Dallas’ search for the next great RB1: pass protection and short-yardage ability.

One of the key factors in determining whether a college RB will be given a chance in the pros is in their ability to pass protect. Every year talented rushers make the jump to the NFL only to be denied a chance in regular season action simply because the coaches couldn’t trust him to pick up blocks.

The most important player on just about every contending NFL team is the franchise QB, and if the RB can’t do his part in protecting that QB, the coaching staff will find someone else who can – even if it means that replacement RB is a less talented rusher.

There are ways to avoid pass protecting situations with RBs. Sneaking him out into the flat as a passing target is a good way to slow down blitzes and gain some valuable yards after the catch. But with Vaughn already on the roster in that role, adding another player like that is dangerous business.

The Cowboys need to add a RB1 who is just as capable in pass protection as he is catching passes against the blitz. It will keep defenses honest and allow play calling to remain versatile.

Short-yardage ability is the second important quality of any would-be addition. It was something the Cowboys lost when Elliott left the franchise and something that only got worse with the departure of Pollard.

Luepke has shown some potential in this regard, but his sample size is extremely small, and it comes with ball security questions that cannot be ignored. Luepke can still be Plan A in short-yardage situations heading into 2024 but the new RB1 has to be at least as proficient as Pollard was in these highly valuable play situations.

More often than not, it’s short yardage conversions that lead EPA gains on the ground each week. Five yards on 1st-and-10 is great but a two-yard run on 3rd-and-1 is generally the bigger EPA impact. Having an RB1 who can convert those without the offense signaling their intentions by swapping in Luepke is important for the offense’s disguise and adaptability.

These two traits may not be the flashiest, but a case can be made they are the most important given the circumstances in Dallas. Scout the NFL draft accordingly.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Can Deuce Vaughn be a productive member of the Cowboys RB room?

By most accounts, Deuce Vaughn had a forgettable rookie season with the Cowboys calling into question his potential role going forward. | From @ReidDHanson

With the departure of Tony Pollard to Tennessee, the Cowboys have a rather significant hole at the top of their RB depth chart. The free agent market proved hotter than anticipated, pricing Dallas out early, and leading to a reunion with 2023’s RB2, Rico Dowdle.

It’s clear the Cowboys need to add one, if not two more RB options to their stable in 2024, unless, of course, they think one of their down-roster players has the potential to step up into a bigger role. Perhaps that someone is Deuce Vaughn.

Less than one year ago, Vaughn was the talk of town. The exciting scat back from Kansas State is the son of scout Chris Vaughn. The emotional phone call between father and son on draft day became must-see-TV, not just in Dallas, but nationwide.

Selected 212 overall, Vaughn was the 14th RB drafted in 2023. While ultra productive in college, his prospects as a pro were somewhat limited given his unavoidable size limitations. At 5-foot-6, 176-pounds, he would be one of the smallest players in the NFL. And the physical demands of the RB position had the potential to expose him in more ways than one.

As his rookie season showed, those concerns were well warranted. After an ineffective start to the season, Vaughn found himself buried on the depth chart and inactive in nine of the last 12 regular season games. His 1.74 yards per rushing attempt were difficult to excuse for even his staunchest supporters.

While the sample size was extremely low, Vaughn’s -1.39 RYOE (rushing yards over expected) were among the worst in the league and far below both Dowdle (-0.80) and Pollard (+.11). His pass protection grade from PFF was a cellar dwelling 35.7 with his Week 4 performance against New England standing out as particularly poor.

Overall, Vaughn didn’t get many opportunities behind Pollard and Dowdle in 2023, and the few that he did get didn’t exactly make a case for more. Many believe his size limitations may have finally caught up with him and the pro game is too big for him.

The number of inactive designations spoke volumes in 2023. Vaughn was ineffective as a rusher and a liability in pass protection. He was effective as a pass catcher, catching all seven targets and showed plenty of wiggle in space. The main issue was getting him the ball in space.

Even with perfect technique and maximum level tenacity, Vaughn will be somewhat capped by what he can do as a pass protector. When just one poorly executed blitz pickup could result in an injury to the franchise QB, pass protection becomes a fairly significant job requirement.

If the Cowboys want Vaughn to play a role in the RB rotation in 2024, they’ll have to create something for him. He’s not a plug and play RB who can be used interchangeably with others. He has play in certain packages with specific responsibilities, much like how the similarly small KaVontae Turpin is used as a WR.

Vaughn’s presence on the roster shouldn’t factor into anything the Cowboys do this offseason. They should fill the roster as if he’s not on it and think of him as a bonus piece.

Dallas also has a responsibility to put Vaughn in position to succeed rather than set him up to fail. Like many other players who came before him, Vaughn is a skilled player with specific strengths and weaknesses.

It’s very unlikely Vaughn will factor in as a top-two RB on the Cowboys in 2024. Depending how Dallas populates the ranks, Vaughn’s immediate ceiling appears to be RB3 with some room to grow as a possible special teams return man and offensive gadget player in personnel groups designed to find mismatches.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]