The Dallas Cowboys have been a mediocre to terrible run team the last few years, but that could change next season.
Hiring offensive coordinator Klayton Adams will boost the offensive line and run game.
Klayton Adams has been part of several teams that have increased the offensive line play, which in turn has boosted the run game. That is a major positive for the Dallas Cowboys.
The question has to be asked. Do the Cowboys need to draft an offensive lineman and a running back early to get the offense moving in the right direction?
The short answer is no, so let’s examine why both issues don’t need to be addressed early.
Klayton Adams Track Record
Klayton Adams played football at Boise State, where he was the center for two WAC Championships in 2003 and 2004. As a senior in 2004, he earned second-team All-WAC.
Playing center for a high-level program gives him a great perspective on offensive line play, and this has been evident throughout his coaching career.
Klayton Adams’ coaching career took off at the University of Colorado, where he coached from 2013 to 2018.
In the 2016 season in Colorado, the offensive line posted its highest average per rush (4.1) in 10 seasons. He also helped RB Philip Lindsey become the first player in school history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
He would continue this type of success in the NFL. His first stop was with the Indianapolis Colts.
There, Adams coached the offensive line, tight ends, and running backs over three years. With Adams in charge, the offensive line and run game ranked in the top ten in several categories.
In Arizona, the offensive line helped the running game reach number four in rushing yards with 2,365 and second in rushing average at 5.02 yards per carry.
The Cardinals led the NFL with 23 runs of 20+ yards. This was due to Adams’ influence on the offensive line and run game.
These numbers would be a nice change if the same type of success could be seen in Dallas, and it could come with a commitment to the run.
Klayton Adams Will Use His Resources
Klayton Adams used what was available to him at each stop and turned around the offensive line play and the run game.
The same could happen with the Dallas Cowboys and the young offensive line.
Once Adams gets into Dallas and sees the young players on the line and their success towards the end of the season, he will be able to adjust several aspects that can take them to the next level.
Because he will not be calling plays, he will have the time to be more hands-on with the players. He will have input, but the majority of his time can be spent hands-on.
The young players on the line will allow the Cowboys to wait on offensive linemen in the draft and use early picks on skill players and the defense.
A running back will be a priority in the first or second round. Talents such as Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, and Kaleb Johnson should be available when the Cowboys draft.
If re-signed, Rico Dowdle could carry the load, but a top-tier talent like any of the three listed above would create massive opportunities for the offense.
This Hire Means More than Just Offense
This hire means more than just boosting the offense and the run game.
The hire shows that the Cowboys’ front office may finally be taking aggressiveness up a notch. In the past, the Cowboys would not make this type of hire but instead go with a re-tread coach.
Stealing a coach who was a high priority and loved in Arizona may be Jerry Jones’s way of showing fans he can still make a splash. According to Jerry Jones, he has heard and read what is being said about him and his approach.
If this attitude continues into free agency, this season could be one of the best seasons the Cowboys have seen.
Jerry Jones will always be stubborn, but he also wants to make the fans happy, and this hire shows that he wants them to be proud of this team.
Buckle up, Dallas Cowboys fans. The team is about to have a great running game, which is amazing news for an offense that has shown top-ten passing abilities.