The Cowboys running back room having considerable questions is becoming a bit of a tradition. This is the second offseason in a row that we have no idea who the starter will be, and we are still over a month away from having the answer.
In 2024, Dallas could have pursued Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, or now Super Bowl champion Saquon Barkley. Instead, they signed Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman.
This time around, their options in the free agent market were not nearly as star-studded, and they walked away with former Bronco Javonte Williams and veteran Miles Sanders.
#Cowboys current backfield:
1. Javonte Williams – Fell behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime last season in Denver.
2. Miles Sanders – Cut by Panthers.
3. Deuce Vaughn – 5'6/176.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) March 14, 2025
Those two signings have put Dallas closer to having a solidified room in 2025, but they still have significant work to do.
With the NFL Draft on the way, and the dust of free agency largely settled, let’s project what the Cowboys running back depth chart will look like at the start of next season.
The Starter: Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
This part of the projection is purely speculative, but the smoke around Omarion Hampton to Dallas sure is billowing.
The North Carolina alum is consistently being mocked to the Cowboys by some of the most credible names in football media. Both ESPN’s Mel Kiper and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah now have Hampton to Dallas in their mock drafts.
Yes, you can’t take mocks to heart too much, but those two guys are in the know.
Both Daniel Jeremiah and Mel Kiper mentioned/mocked Omarion Hampton to the #Cowboys at No. 12 today.
Something to consider.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 18, 2025
Hampton’s draft stock has been rising for months now, as the gap between him and Boise State star Ashton Jeanty shrinks.
While the Heisman runner-up is still the consensus top running back in the draft, Hampton is now a sure-fire first-round pick in his own right. Dallas would be silly not to consider him at 12.
Whether they shock the world with a non-Jeanty running back with their first pick or wait for a later round, one thing is a near certainty: a rookie will be the starter for the Cowboys in the 2025 season.
The Backup: Javonte Williams
When the Cowboys signed Williams earlier this month, the headlines focused more on the fact that they signed a free agent at all – not on Williams being a top-tier addition. In short, he isn’t the player he used to be.
Williams will turn 25 in April, but his best work in the NFL was done at age 21.
In his rookie season in Denver, he ran for 903 yards and four touchdowns. One sophomore-season ACL tear later, and his stats have declined ever since.
At this point, Williams comes to Dallas as a young, low-risk option to backup the eventual starter. For the very low cost of his deal, that’s a fine addition to make, but we can’t pretend he is the top dog.
Javonte Williams contract breakdown
1 year, $3m, $3.5m maxBonus: $1m
2025: $1.5m (guaranteed)
$500k per/game roster bonus
$250k in 1,200 combined yards + playoffs
$250k 12 combined TDs + playoffs— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 15, 2025
He’s expected to play a complementary role, likely handling the veteran duties at running back, like pass protection.
I don’t think he has much competition for the RB2 job, but his chance of rising beyond that is slim.
The Third String: Deuce Vaughn
Would the Cowboys running back room really be complete without Deuce Vaughn?
In all seriousness, Dallas’s sixth-round pick in 2023 is going to be battling for his Cowboys career this summer, but I think he has another season in him.
Vaughn, 23, will be squared off with Sanders, an established veteran, Malik Davis, and potentially a late-round addition after the Cowboys get their starter early in the draft. That’s some serious competition for RB3.
What Vaughn has in his favor, over those other options, is a new coaching hire and father time.
SOURCES: The Dallas Cowboys are targeting K-State OC/O-line coach Conor Riley to become their new offensive line coach. Riley is one of the most respected O-line coaches in college football amongst his peers.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 7, 2025
Miles Sanders will turn 28 this spring, and his stats have been declining for two seasons now. Davis, while on the younger side at 26, doesn’t have a direct connection to the brand-new offensive line coach.
Conor Riley, whom Dallas hired to run the show up-front, held that same job at Kansas State from 2019 to 2024. That means he coached Vaughn throughout his entire college career.
That connection, combined with the decline of Sanders and the unknown of Davis, should give Vaughn the upper hand to round out the Cowboys running back room.