The Cowboys still have work to do at running back.
The last few days have been interesting, to say the least, regarding the Dallas Cowboys. They have signed some of their own players such as KaVontae Turpin and Bryan Anger. They have also lost some key players like DeMarcus Lawrence and Jourdan Lewis.
Another story among the coming and goings of Cowboys free agency is the news that they’ve added two veteran running backs to replace the departed Rico Dowdle. Dallas signed Javonte Williams from the Denver Broncos earlier this week, and then added Miles Sanders. The Carolina Panthers released Sanders, and he now rejoins the NFC East as a member of the Cowboys. It’s commendable that the Cowboys are more proactive in addressing the running back position than last season. However, what they’ve done so far isn’t enough and they must continue to add to the running back room in the draft. Here’s why they need to make sure to draft a running back this April.
While Javonte Williams had a great rookie season, where he had 1,219 yards from scrimmage and forced 31 missed tackles, he hasn’t experienced that level of success since then. In the following years, his production has declined. His elusiveness has also taken a downturn. Williams has fewer broken tackles in the last three seasons combined than he did in his rookie season. He can still contribute as a pass catcher, but as a runner, he’s struggling to get back the form he once had. He suffered an ACL injury in his second year in the league, which may be limiting his performance.
As for Miles Sanders, it appears a change in scenery did not help his cause. While with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders averaged over five yards an attempt. Meanwhile in Carolina, he had averaged under four yards per carry and was buried on depth chart. He also suffered an ankle injury last season that caused him to miss six games. There’s also some concerns regarding his ball security as he has 12 fumbles in his career thus far. Relying on either running back would be short-sighted.
This year’s group of running backs is too good of a class to pass up. Ashton Jeanty is the top of the class, but there are options throughout the draft that should entice the Cowboys to pull the trigger. Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson has the speed to change games and has worked in committees during his collegiate career. Therefore, he has plenty of tread on his tires. Should they draft him, he’d easily be the most explosive runner in Dallas’ backfield.
TREYVEYON HENDERSON IS THE BEST RB IN AMERICA
pic.twitter.com/HXVH4k7zjV— Recruiting Edits (@614EditzDSGN) November 19, 2023
North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton is the second-best running back in the class. Hampton has the mixture of good qualities to be a starting-caliber runner from Day 1 and can play on all three downs. Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson has workhorse traits. Dylan Sampson is another good prospect late in the draft with traits that can be developed, and Devin Neal is a great complementary piece to build within a committee. However, he also has experience as a bell-cow runner at Kansas. There are too many good options in the draft for the Cowboys to be assured they’ve done enough this week with their additions.
Dallas must learn from its experiences last season. In 2024, it foolishly entrusted the position to Ezekiel Elliott, Deuce Vaughn, and Rico Dowdle without any serious backup plan. It wasn’t until Elliott was forced to take a backseat that Dowdle emerged as a viable runner and ultimately eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing. Still, it came at the expense of a running game with no identity at the start of the season. Dowdle made the best of a complicated situation, but the solution to the problem came far too late, especially considering that Dowdle was at the end of his contract and now has left for richer pastures.
Doing nothing in the draft would also leave the Cowboys back where they started with no assurances in 2026. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders signed one-year deals. You’ll be in the same predicament by not drafting someone to fill their roles beyond this season. If you have two veterans of their caliber, you have none. Dallas needs somebody the team has investment to groom as an option for the future. The Cowboys have an opportunity to learn from their mistakes last year. They passed on Braelon Allen, Bucky Irving, and Tyrone Tracy. All those runners have an adequate role for their respective teams going into their sophomore seasons and beyond. There’s more work in the running back room to be done.
