After years of overvaluing the running back position the Cowboys have appeared to finally grasp that a committee can be every bit as productive as a workhorse, but at a fraction of the price.
It seemed the Cowboys finally caught up to what the analytics community had been preaching for years; RBs are replaceable parts and rarely worth second contracts. But Dallas took that sentiment to an entirely different level. They ignored the RB position entirely in the draft and have unofficially dubbed Rico Dowdle the next starting RB.
It wasn’t long ago Ezekeil Elliott was the highest paid RB in the NFL. Elliott cashed in at a time the rest of the league was cashing out. Dallas came to regret the six-year, $90 million extension when signs of decline showed up even before the new money kicked in.
In 2023, the Cowboys finally had their opportunity to get out from under Elliott’s contract, releasing him outright and turning the page of an era in Dallas.
Still not quite grasping the true value of the RB position the Cowboys franchise tagged Tony Pollard to take over the lead role in 2024. Recovering from a postseason injury suffered just months prior, Pollard took a while to get going. He eventually hit his stride but overall, it was a disappointing campaign given his expectations and lofty one-year salary.
Again, the Cowboys adjusted.
In 2024 they allowed Pollard to leave virtually unopposed. And despite the free agent RB class being one of the best in years, Dallas refused to throw their hat in the ring, eventually settling on journeyman Royce Freeman on a thrifty one-year, $1,292,500 deal.
The Cowboys have since brought Elliott back into the fold.
After a 642-yard campaign in New England, Elliott has returned to the franchise that drafted him. He’s no longer expected to be the player he once was, but as a steady and well-rounded veteran, he’s someone who can fill a number of roles in a committee.
The RB position has reached peak devaluation levels in Dallas. The Cowboys took a hard pass at the top players in free agency and skipped the position altogether in the draft. Unless a last-minute trade is made this summer, they’re prepared to roll into the new season with a fairly pedestrian committee.
Have the Cowboys taken the devaluation of the RB position too far?
Only time will tell. Their lack of attention paid to the position have caused even the biggest RB detractors to furrow their brow at the situation. Neither Dowdle nor Elliott posted positive rushing yards over expected. As such, it’s probably on the Cowboys offensive line to make this rag-tag committee successful.
The offensive line is undergoing a renovation this season with two of the five starting spots undergoing change. To make things even more tenuous, the front-runners at those two spots are both rookies. A serviceable running game is all anyone should expect, given the situation.
Perhaps that’s all the Cowboys want. Since building a dominant running game is costly and typically a poor use of resources, perhaps serviceable is exactly what Dallas wants for the team this season.
The Cowboys have come a long way in their handling of the RB situation over the past couple years and while the direction they’re moving is a wise one, the extent that they’ve gone may prove to be unwise.
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