Cook will help Cowboys ‘play wide open,’ per McCarthy, but don’t discount Dowdle Todd Brock The addition of four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook may have muddied the waters, at least in terms of projecting which ballcarrier will get the lion’s share of the workload in Dallas this season. But to hear head coach Mike McCarthy tell it, that’s kind of the point. Cook will start out on the Cowboys practice squad as he acclimates himself to the playbook and ramps up to game speed after working out on his own all spring and summer. But the team clearly has plans for him on Sundays, and he’ll eventually join a platoon that already includes two-time rushing champ Ezekiel Elliott, a resurgent Deuce Vaughn, and Rico Dowdle, who many observers have said looks like the best back of the bunch this offseason. “What’s the definition of ‘committee?’” McCarthy asked reporters during a Thursday press conference. “As a play caller, you want to play wide open- first, second, third down- and you want it to flow. My definition of ‘committee’ is: it’s a long year. You want to be able to have distribution throughout that position because of the toll that it takes on the running back position.” As for which one opposing defenses see in the Dallas backfield, McCarthy explained, it will all depend on the moment. “We don’t want to necessarily be in personnel groups that every time this particular player runs in or this particular player runs in [the defense knows what’s coming]. After three or four weeks, you have major tendencies,” he warned. “We want to be able to utilize all those guys but stay in a normal flow.” The late signing of Cook- just 12 days before the season opener in Cleveland- does throw a wild card into how the Cowboys’ running back committee has looked in camp and the preseason. But the coach confirmed that signing the former second-round draft pick- who’s had four 1,000-yard campaigns in seven NFL seasons- was no spur-of-the-moment impulse purchase. “There’s been interest for quite some time,” McCarthy said. “Personally, I’m a fan. I’ve seen him run down the sideline from the opposite side of the field too many times. He’s just a hell of a player. I think when you just look at our roster additions this year, we’ve added some veteran experience- more than we’ve had in the past- and he’s a great example of it.” [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] But pairing Cook with Elliott- the two have combined for over 15,000 career rushing yards and seven Pro Bowl nods- should in no way leave Dowdle, who has a grand total of 385 rushing yards after four injury-filled pro seasons, as the odd man out. McCarthy readily admits that the undrafted South Carolina product will see “a lesser role” only on special teams this year, and that’s because the plan is for him to play more in the Cowboys offense. “I think I definitely should get a bigger role this year, and I’m looking forward to it,” Dowdle said after Cook’s signing, per The Athletic‘s Jon Machota. “The more you can do, the better. When you can catch out of the backfield, run routes, and also run the ball well, it’s hard to take you off the field. I want to be a three-down back.” And being in a timeshare with two longtime workhorses doesn’t worry Dowdle in the least. “One guy is not going out there, being on an eight-play drive, staying eight plays in a row or something like that,” he said. “It’s kind of flipping it: four and four, having a third guy come in, just making sure we have fresh legs on the field at all times.” Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.

Cowboys named favorites to land Bill Belichick in 2025 reidhanson When Bill Belichick left New England over the offseason the Cowboys were one of the first teams mentioned as a possible destination. Dallas was coming off a postseason implosion against the lower-seeded Packers, and head coach Mike McCarthy had just a season left on his deal. A coaching change in Dallas wasn’t just possible, it was kind of expected. As luck would have it, McCarthy was able to hold on in Dallas another year. The Cowboys front office opted to roll it all back for one more year in 2024 and that meant letting McCarthy serve out the entirety of his contract with the dreaded lame duck status ominously looming over him. Belichick, widely considered a surefire Hall of Famer, inexplicably signed with no one. The legendary coach set his sights on 2025 to resume his coaching career, with the Cowboys, once again, serving as a favorite landing spot to onlookers. Jeff Howe from The Athletic recently called the Cowboys “the obvious connection.” From Belichick’s point of view, he needs to find a team built to win now. At age 73, he’s probably not interested in a complete rebuild. He’s just 15 wins away from passing Don Shula on the all-time wins list, which, provided Dak Prescott is retained, is a feat he could easily achieve in less than two seasons with the Cowboys. From the Cowboys point of view, Belichick would add legitimacy back to the coaching ranks in Dallas. Jerry Jones has long been accused of hiring “yes men” at head coach. Presumably soured by the Jimmy Johnson experience, the impression is Jones wants to ensure he receives the bulk of the credit the next time ultimate success is achieved. Whether that’s fact or fiction is difficult to say but it’s a widely held perception he’s been fighting since the turn of the century. He pushed back on this roughly 20-years ago when shocked the world by bringing in Bill Parcells. Belichick would put those same “puppet” accusations to bed if he were brought in to follow the ever-pleasing McCarthy in 2025. As was the case with Parcells, it would require compromise on both sides to make such a marriage work. The Cowboys’ personnel department has been far more successful finding talent than Belichick has been since taking a leadership role in personnel in New England. They would need to retain that power. At the same time Belichick would have to be king of the kingdom in matters of final roster and playing time. The front office would have to back off. In other words, the front office would be in charge of buying the groceries, but they would have to get out of the kitchen completely when it was time for Belichick to cook dinner. On a short-term basis, Jones and Belichick could easily use their friendship to make a working relationship work. Considering the term would only be in the 2–3-year range, it’s not asking too much of them. Whether or not the marriage would be beneficial for both parties is a different story. Barring major injury, a Prescott-led Cowboys squad would surely push Belichick over the top by 2026. Even if they couldn’t find success in the postseason, Belichick would come out of the union a winner based on his all-time win record. The Cowboys, on the other hand, may not be much better off. Belichick would offer toughness, preparedness and postseason strategy to a team that’s seemed to lack all three elements. But as a defensive minded coach his success has been largely based on Tom Brady’s awesomeness on the offensive side of the ball. For as good as Prescott is, he’s no Brady. Prescott needs a coach helping him in the postseason, not leaning on him. Therefore, an offensive minded coach is probably the better option for the Cowboys. Then again, there’s no telling who the Joneses would consider at head coach after McCarthy anyway. Oftentimes the candidates come out of the recycle bin. When McCarthy was hired, the alternatives being considered weren’t exactly inspiring. Ben Johnson or Bobby Slowik seem like great options for the Cowboys if they are indeed hunting for a head coach next offseason. But if the list of candidates doesn’t include them but rather features a series of defensive coaches and retreads, maybe Belichick is the best option. One thing is clear – the Cowboys and Belichick is a very real connection for a reason. Both sides can make it work and both sides have something to gain from the other; wins for Belichick and street cred for the Joneses. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Follow all of your favorite Texas teams at Cowboys Wire, Longhorns Wire, Texans Wire, Rockets Wire and Aggies Wire!