The Dallas Cowboys’ players and coaches will report to 2023 training camp next week on July 26th.
Fans will breathe a sigh of relief, as it has been a long five months since the last meaningful sighting of Cowboys football.
The Cowboys’ roster features many players who are locked in as starters, but there are also some question marks.
Most of the question marks are in the backup positions, however.
I continue the series on training camp battles, and who we can expect to be ahead of the pack.
Today we will focus on the backup running back position.
To view the backup quarterback prediction, click here.
Running Backs
Established Starter(s): Tony Pollard
Battle for Backup: Ronald Jones, Malik Davis, Rico Dowdle, Hunter Luepke
The Cowboys not reaching a long-term deal with Tony Pollard prior to the deadline on July 17th has no bearing on his starting status.
Pollard is the clear-cut number one running back on the depth chart, and will handle the bulk of the touches during the season.
The explosive running back suffered a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula during the playoff game in San Francisco.
The Cowboys have assured us Pollard will be ready for Week 1.
However, should Pollard once again get injured, what’s the answer behind him?
Ronald Jones
Formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, Ronald Jones is the latest Cowboys signing at running back.
Jones has 61 games of experience over his first five seasons in the league.
Drafted out of USC in the 2018 draft, the Buccaneers allowed Jones’ rookie contract to expire and hit free agency.
Jones never could break through into a permanent starting role in Tampa Bay.
His most successful season was 2020, but soon fell out of favor with Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady.
The resurgence of Leonard Fournette and the emergence of Rachaad White rendered Jones expendable.
Thrust into a running back by committee in Kansas City, he was utilized by Andy Reid even less than Tampa Bay.
He was only active for six games, and netted just 18 touches on the season.
Jones will battle for the number two spot behind Pollard, and does bring tough running and receiving ability to the table.
Malik Davis
Malik Davis was a member of the Cowboys practice squad after going undrafted out of the University of Florida in 2022.
During the draft process, Davis was regarded to be as talented as lead back Dameon Pierce, whom he shared carries with at Florida.
Davis worked hard, and was made active for 12 games during the 2022 season.
He averaged 4.2 yards per attempt, and caught six passes on seven targets.
The second year back has a blend of speed and power that could translate to good things for the Cowboys offense.
Deuce Vaughn
The diminutive rookie from Kansas State has a unique story.
You might have heard that his father, Chris is a scout for the Cowboys.
The draft got emotional as the Cowboys had Chris Vaughn unknowingly call his own son to tell him he had been drafted.
Deuce Vaughn has freakish mix of speed, elusiveness, and break tackle ability for his smaller size.
He might challenge KaVontae Turpin for some return duties, and hopefully can establish himself a niche in the offense.
Rico Dowdle
Rico Dowdle has been a part of the Cowboys organization since 2020.
He has appeared in 15 games over that span, but has only seven carries.
Most of his impact was on special teams as a kick returner, personal protector on punts, and on the kickoff coverage team.
A hip injury and the emergence of Malik Davis have kept Dowdle off of the active roster for the most part.
He will likely have to win kickoff return duties over Pro Bowler KaVontae Turpin to land a permanent spot on the active roster.
That is unlikely to happen, and it’s likelier that he can earn the third spot on the depth chart and continue to contribute on special teams coverage.
Hunter Luepke
Dallas picked up do-it-all player Hunter Luepke from the undrafted free agent market after the 2023 NFL Draft.
Luepke mirrors the play style of other hybrid backs that Mike McCarthy has coached over the years.
The most recent being John Kuhn.
Luepke isn’t a true fullback, as he has rushing and receiving skills good enough to succeed in the NFL.
Training camp will tell us if he can take advantage of those traits to make the final roster.
Predictions
It’s entirely possible that the primary backup to lead back Tony Pollard isn’t even on the current roster.
There are free agents out there like Dalvin Cook, Leonard Fournette, and even a reunion with Ezekiel Elliott is possible.
If Dallas sticks with the current lineup to choose from, I believe Ronald Jones locks down the two spot on the depth chart.
Malik Davis would then slide into the third spot with a heavy hand on the special teams unit.
If Deuce Vaughn shows just a shred of the ability he showed at Kansas State, the Cowboys will be forced to utilize him in special packages.
Luepke could sneak in as a FB/HB/TE utility player, or could possibly knock Davis out of the active roster for select weeks.
Dowdle will likely be a practice squad player once again unless he is picked up by another team.