The Dallas Cowboys are taking a lot of flack at the start of free agency. The free agency period officially gets underway on Wednesday, March 13, at 4 p.m. ET, but Dallas entered the afternoon as the only team in the NFL not to have signed a player who was on a different team last year. With Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle both hitting the market, the Cowboys are in need of a new starting running back for the 2024 season.
Current Cowboys RBs
For now, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, and Snoop Conner are the only running backs still on the Dallas roster. In their short careers, they have combined for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Only Davis has been in the NFL for more than one season. He played in only three games for Dallas last year and didn’t tally any rushing stats.
Free agent RBs
The Cowboys have stayed quiet so far in free agency, which has subsequently allowed the top free agent running backs to sign elsewhere. Dallas still has some solid options available, but the number of players considered starters rather than just backups or depth options is dwindling.
If the Cowboys are feeling like they can fix a running back, they could go after former first round pick Clyde-Edwards Helaire. He had been replaced in the Kansas City Chiefs backfield, but a chance of scenery in Dallas could help him return to the running back that impressed as a rookie in 2020.
Other moves could include bringing in J.K. Dobbins, A.J. Dillon, D’Onta Foreman or Cam Akers. The Cowboys could also go for a reunion with Ezekiel Elliott, but that likely wouldn’t excite the fan base too much who were out in the veteran a year ago.
Trading for a RB
Dallas could pull off a trade for a running back, but with who is left, plus the upcoming NFL Draft, it doesn’t exactly make sense. It is still the start of free agency, but there isn’t a backfield that feels crowded at the moment.
2024 NFL Draft
With compensatory picks distributed, Dallas heads into the 2024 NFL Draft with seven selections. Despite the talent in this year’s running back class, none of the players are expected to be selected in the first round. Blake Corum and Jonathon Brooks are considered the top options and are consistently mocked at the back end of the second round. Dallas could use No. 56 on either of them and likely be able to start that player in Week 1, with the current group of running backs serving as backups and depth options.