Repairing the running back room in Dallas won’t be difficult

It’s Day 3 of my run as the Dallas Cowboys’ new GM.

I’ve got the Jones family under lock and key. The coaching staff has been informed to get it together or else.

And I think I have resolved the quarterback issue without breaking the bank, while putting the fear of the almighty into our starting quarterback.

So now it’s time to turn my attention to the next position group on the list. The running backs.

Oddly enough, the running back room just might be the easiest one to repair going forward.

We have two rookies in the room that were improperly used in 2023. One was drafted, another signed as a free agent after the draft ended.

Both had promise that went unfulfilled last year and that is on the coaching staff.

That’s item number one on the agenda.

Deuce And Hunter

Deuce Vaughn was the feel good story of the draft. He was drafted by the team his dad scouted for after all.

Deuce Vaughn was not used properly in his rookie season. That needs to change.

He was supposed to be used as the Cowboys’ Darren Sproles.

That never happened.

That will happen in 2024. He’s not a blocking back or a power runner.

His strength is his size and his ability to disappear in a crowd on the field.

Hunter Luepke is a fullback. He’s a solid blocker.

He also runs falling forward.

With the lone exception of the botched handoff with Dak Prescott in Miami, he always gained yards when he was handed the ball, by putting his head down, and plowing forward.

He needs to bulk up over the offseason and become a punishing runner again like he was at North Dakota State.

Hunter Luepke scored his first NFL touchdown against the Patriots earlier in 2023 then seemed to vanish from the gameplan.

He and Prescott will also work on their handoffs. A lot.

Or else.

We retain both rookies with the expectation of better usage by the coaches and better results from each player.

The Pollard Problem

Cutting Ezekiel Elliott prior to the 2023 season was the correct call.

Bringing him back in 2024, is not the correct call.

At the same time, Tony Pollard is not an RB1. He is better suited as the change of pace guy.

And Rico Dowdle fills that role nicely.

Rico Dowdle (23) scored the lone Cowboys’ touchdown against the Cardinals in 2023. (Dallas Morning News photo)

Pollard is an unrestricted free agent who is going to want something in the $10 million a year area. He’s not worth that.

Pollard is allowed to walk out the door into free agency.

Dowdle is a restricted free agent. He’s not likely to draw any big money offers.

He can probably be retained at a much more cap-friendly price.

But that means we need to draft a running back this year, or look to free agency.

Fortunately, good options abound in both directions.

The Draft

There is an abundance of running backs in the upcoming draft that could fall to the Cowboys in both the first and second rounds.

If there is an early run on running backs there still should be good value carrying over into the second round.

I have my eye on Dillon Johnson out of Washington. If he’s there in the second round, I’m picking him to replace Pollard.

And if we don’t see anything we like in the draft, we go to option number two.

Free Agency

There are some solid names out there to be had.

My primary target? Derrick Henry.

Derrick Henry should be a prime free agent target for Dallas in 2024.

Yes, he’s 30. Yes, that’s considered ancient in running back years.

But I think Henry still has two more good years in the tank, especially with Dowdle, Vaughn, and Luepke available to take some snaps.

And Henry shouldn’t come at a high price. The running back market is ice cold right now which favors our efforts to have money to spend in areas of urgent need.

If we play our cards right, we might also be able to do both. Draft a back and sign another as a free agent.

The Plan Ahead

So there it is.

We get our next starting running back in free agency or the draft, and possibly pickup another backup too. Let Pollard go elsewhere if someone wants to overpay him.

And we lean on our younger backs to step up.

Remember, we’re going run-first now in our change of culture here.

We need a hefty running back room to wear down the defenses with and keep the pressure off of our quarterback.

We are going to pound our way all the way to the Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025.

Or else.