Dallas was a bad rushing team last year. In response, they released Ezekiel Elliot (again) before the season finale, and let last year\u2019s leading rusher, Rico Dowdle, walk in free agency. In their place is a mix of castoffs, rookies, and holdovers. There\u2019s no clear lead back, no proven contributors, and no real reason to believe this is anything more than a patchwork committee\u2014unless you\u2019re really into hope-based depth charts.<\/p>\n
It’s the weakest position group on the roster, and the most unproven.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s dig in.<\/p>\n
If you squint hard enough, you can talk yourself into the Cowboys having backfield options. But the reality is that the running back position has been an afterthought for over five years. Dallas hasn\u2019t had a player run for double-digit touchdowns<\/a> since 2021, and hasn\u2019t had a player rush for over 1,100 yards since 2019. This year\u2019s group enters 2025 as the most unproven on the roster, and that\u2019s saying something.<\/p>\n Javonte Williams<\/a> is probably the closest thing the Cowboys have to a prototypical RB1. He had a strong start to his career as a rookie in Denver, rushing for just over 900 yards and averaging 4.4 yards<\/a> per carry in 2021. But a torn ACL the following year derailed his momentum, and he hasn\u2019t been the same since. He\u2019s still just 25 years old, and this could be the best he\u2019s felt in years. But he has never been known for his speed or agility, so it\u2019s fair to wonder what the best version of him will look like.<\/p>\n Miles Sanders<\/a> is the most accomplished back in the room right now. He put together a really nice season for Philadelphia back in 2022, rushing for over 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns<\/a>. But the last two years in Carolina have been really disappointing. He hasn\u2019t cracked 450 yards in either of the last two seasons, and at 28 years old, it\u2019s fair to wonder how much tread he\u2019s got left on the tires. He\u2019s a change-of-pace back at this stage in his career, not someone you build the run game around.<\/p>\n