Now that the Dallas Cowboys have one game left in the 2024 season, and no playoffs to worry about, the best thing we can do is look forward to the NFL draft in April.
That said, a lot of talk has gone around about whom this team might take with their projected 13th overall pick. Anyone from Ashton Jeanty to another defensive player to help with the loss of DeMarvion Overshown, who is projected to be out the entire 2025 season.
Well, after watching the college football playoff, another running back made a name for himself.
Cam Skattebo had been having a great season as well, but playing for Arizona State, not a lot of people tuned into his football games until the other night.
https://twitter.com/SNFonNBC/status/1874957317248356580
Better Pick For Dallas?
Look, I understand some people don’t want him, and others do, and that is fine. Based on where Dallas picks, I don’t want to reach for a running back.
I think Skattebo would be a solid back for the Cowboys.
Through the last week of the season they rank 28th in the NFL in yards/rush, 27th in rush yards per game at 97.2, and .3 rush touchdowns a game, which ranks dead last in the NFL.
Cam runs HARD. In 13 games this season Skattebo rushed for 1,568 yards and 19 touchdowns, while also having receiving upside. He caught 37 passes for 506 yards and an additional three touchdowns.
The only problem I have is you see guys like Skattebo dominate at this level, and the game just does not translate to the next level. The Cowboys also tend to ruin every good thing they have that they get gifted anyway.
https://twitter.com/danorlovsky7/status/1874796877310505454
Everyone is so focused on what Jeanty did this season, and I agree I would like him in Dallas also, but let’s not get sold on one guy and forget about what Cam did to maybe the best defense in all college football.
Arizona State should have won that game.
Running Back Future
Rico Dowdle put up over 1,000 yards this season, and if he was the feature guy from the start, it probably would have been a heck of a lot more.
Remember, Dowdle is a free agent this offseason, and if Dallas decides to not bring him back, they are going to be without a running back.
The way he ended the season, Rico won’t be a cheap sign, I don’t think. He is going to get some money elsewhere if he really wants it.
He’s one of just 14 players in the NFL to have topped 1,000 rushing yards without the benefit of the extra 17th game. In fact, he actually reached the mark despite playing in 15 contests. He missed the 49ers game, remember.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1874613517183254949
Dowdle is now one of just six players in Cowboys history to post a season average of 4.7 yards per carry on a minimum of 200 attempts, joining Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett, Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarco Murray and Marion Barber.
If the Cowboys don’t bring Rico back or draft a running back, they are going to be in the same spot they were last season. Depending on CeeDee Lamb the entire year and look how banged up he got.
They found something in Rico, and I would love to pair him with a guy like Skattebo.
Being a Dallas Cowboys fan, I have a feeling that Jerry and the boys are going to find a way to mess this up. Try and run with what they’ve got and not resign Dowdle or draft a top back in April.
I want to think this season made the Jones think about how awful they were last offseason, so maybe they will change it in 2025. Let’s hope, anyway.
Dan should be drug tested by ESPN
the Cowboys need a lead back
not another number 2 back
there are at least 10 other backs in the draft Dallas should draft ahead of him!!!!
He not got enough burst
Not another running back in the early rounds. There are plenty of them in the later rounds. See Pacheco for the Chiefs. Got drafted in the seventh round. This team has a ton of needs besides a running back.
The problems are 1) the chances of a hit decrease dramatically the lower you go. 2) The chances of getting “that guy” decrease even more when you haven’t drafted/signed a viable starter at a known position of need, and everyone else knows this and trades in front of you for any promising player at that position. That’s much easier/cheaper to do the later you go in the rounds. We saw that last draft as teams were cutting in front of us to grab RB’s and previous years for TE’s, LB’s and DT’s. So, unless you know something about a player that nobody else knows (highly unlikely in this day and age), the chances of missing out are very high.
The idea behind using high picks on positions like the OL is that a stellar OL can create holes big enough for any above average RB to exploit. Unfortunately, our Great Wall of Dallas II got old and expensive and the rebuild isn’t exactly happening quickly. Guyton stumbled as many expected he would as a rookie with limited experience and switching sides. Steele hasn’t returned to pre-injury form, which wasn’t exactly stellar to begin with. Zack got old, is in rapid decline, and is now a UFA. Beebe was a rookie starting at a new position. Tyler Smith has some great plays, but gets called for holding too much. Our swing tackle is serviceable, but only just. Our back up IOL guys (Hoffman and Bass) are at least serviceable, though not exactly great. I seriously question whether Mike Solari was a good choice to coach our OL.
Fix the OL and many of the RB problems disappear, or are at least manageable.