Outside Tony Pollard, Rico Dowdle has the longest stay with Dallas in this newly formed running back room.
Dowdle’s efforts have yet to succeed in redirecting the headlines toward himself.
Instead, other players such as second-year running back Malik Davis, free agent signee Ronald Jones, and recent draft pick Deuce Vaughn have been the focus of attention.
He has had his ups and downs after signing as an undrafted free agent from South Carolina.
Now, something needs to shake.
Will he throw his hat in the ring and become a contender for the second running back role?
Time will tell, but one thing is sure – it’s now or never for the former Gamecock.
Dallas Coaches see something that we don’t
In his rookie season, Rico did the unimaginable. He made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent.
He sat behind Pollard and starter Ezekiel Elliott in the back of the line. Grabbing some mop-up duty and special teams was his calling card.
Now, after back-to-back injury-plagued seasons, the Dallas Cowboys decided to bring him back on a 1-year deal.
Rico has no guarantees whatsoever. It’s possible that this move is merely to fill a spot in preparation for training camp.
But what if it is more than that?
Malik Davis came aboard as an undrafted player from Florida in 2022, but Dowdle caught our interest two years prior.
He showed us burst, good vision in preseason games and finished each run strong.
During the 2021 preseason, his 4.5 average yard per carry was impressive, not to mention his 25-yard run with his back against the endzone versus the Pittsburg Steelers.
Rico is attempting to pick up where he left off. If not for the hip injury in 2021, he would be the third running back.
Again in 2022, only the ankle injury derailed his comeback during the season and left the door slightly ajar for Davis.
He has been in that running back room with Pollard for the last three years. They’ve built a solid rapport.
The cherry on top is Dallas can hit two birds with one stone. Rico plays special teams; the last time I checked, Ronald Jones did not.
While it’s not a glamorous choice, the shock effect should be minimal if Dowdle grabs the RB2 spot.
New versions of Dowdle may have the hearts of Cowboys fans
Here is where it gets tricky for Rico.
Jones isn’t the person that should concern him. It’s the two guys that are at the moment behind him.
Malik Davis and Deuce Vaughn are fan favorites, if even the latter has yet to play an NFL down.
This scenario is no different than getting a new toy. We’ve seen what the old guy can do.
Malik now exhibits the same burst, speed, and strong finishes as we observed in Dowdle.
The imagination runs rampant when thinking about the plays for Vaughn.
Training camps, joint practices, and preseason games will be critical.
It’s a razor-thin margin between the guys competing for the 2nd running back spot.
A costly fumble or a missed block in the backfield can change the trajectory of their entire offseason.
Rico must impress early and often to get the coaching staff’s attention and reconnect with the fan base.
Granted, Head Coach Mike McCarthy was in charge when Dowdle was signed, but Running Backs Coach Skip Peete exited stage right.
Having that person who trusts you and will be your champion when cuts occur may also play a part.
Rico Dowdle is going to have his time in the sun. Will he get a nice tan or aggravating sunburn?
The jury is still out.
With that backup running back spot wide open, this has to be his year to claim it.
Otherwise, the journeyman’s travels that most running backs succumb to will undoubtedly begin.
