Barring a move between now and September’s opening kickoff, the Dallas Cowboys will go into the 2024 without a strong RB1.
True, Ezekiel Elliott will likely be the starter, but the Cowboys will be a running back by committee team. They’ll likely be a pass-first team too.
The 2024 version of Elliott is nothing like the 2016-19 version was. He really hasn’t been the same back since his 2019 contract extension.
Elliott is averaging 875 yards a season over the last four years.
He has played in 64 games over that span, giving him a 54.67 yards per game average.
It is highly unlikely that Elliott will put up the numbers he did in his first four years. He averaged 1,351 yards a season over that span.
That was 96.52 yards per game in the 56 games he played in between 2016-19.
So where does Dallas turn to make up the yardage difference between old Zeke and current Zeke?
The pickings are somewhat slim.
Rico Dowdle has just 385 total rushing yards and two touchdowns in three seasons. Royce Freeman was signed over the off season.
But Freeman is averaging just under 300 yards a season after six years in the NFL and will be playing for his fifth team this year.
What follows is Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, Deuce Vaughn, and Nathaniel Peat. Assuming he makes the roster, Hunter Luepke will like play solely at full back.
In short, the Cowboys aren’t going to scare their opponents with their running game.
So if not Dallas, who does have the strongest running back room in the NFC East?
D.C. Takes Command
Washington will likely go into the season with a rookie quarterback at the helm.
Granted, he’s a Heisman Award-winning quarterback, but still a rookie. He’s going to need a running game more than his divisional counterparts.
The Commanders went out and got him a solid running game by signing Austin Ekeler.
He’ll team up with Brian Robinson Jr. to give Washington a solid 1-2 punch at running back.
Undrafted free agent Michael Wiley could prove to be a solid addition to the Commanders’ backfield.
In short, the best rushing attack in the NFC East isn’t the Cowboys, Giants, or the Eagles.
Speaking of Philadelphia…
Eagles Have Second-Best RB Group
The Eagles went out and poached a starting running back from a division rival. Saquon Barkley moved 95 miles west in the offseason.
The former New York Giant will face his old team twice a year.
The Eagles are hoping they get the 2022 Barkley that piled up 1,312 yards that season. In 2023 he only had 962 yards in 14 games.
In his defense, the 2023 Giants were a train wreck.
The Eagles’ offensive line lost a vital piece with the retirement of center Jason Kelce.
Still, if the line can hold up – and Barkley can stay healthy – the Eagles should be able to move the ball on the ground.
Kenneth Gainwell will be a solid backup to Barkley, as will rookie Will Shipley.
Philadelphia will enter the year as the second-best rushing team in the division. Mainly because the team’s front office made moves to improve the position.
A stark contrast to the Cowboys’ refusal to properly address the position in the draft or in free agency this spring.
A Giant Setback
The Giants lost Barkley to the Eagles and they did very little to replace him in the offseason.
New York signed Devin Singletary and drafted Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round. Between the two the Giants will have someone to hand the ball off to.
But neither player is going to put any fear in the hearts of the opposing defenses.
The bad news for the Giants is that after these two they really don’t have much left on the bench.
Current RBs on NFC East Rosters
Dallas Cowboys
- Ezekiel Elliott
- Rico Dowdle
- Deuce Vaughn
- Royce Freeman
- Snoop Conner
- Malik Davis
- Nathaniel Peat
- Hunter Luepke
New York Giants
- Devin Singletary
- Eric Gray
- Tyrone Tracy Jr.
- Jashaun Corbin
- Dante Miller
Philadelphia Eagles
- Saquon Barkley
- Kenneth Gainwell
- Will Shipley
- Tyrion Davis-Price
- Lew Nichols
- Kendall Milton
Washington Commanders
- Austin Ekeler
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- Jeremy McNichols
- Michael Wiley
- Austin Jones