Not too far away from the NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys do not have a starting-caliber running back on the roster. Rico Dowdle was resigned in free agency but he took snaps behind now-Tennessee Titan Tony Pollard in 2023.
Selecting somebody in April is still a possibility but it would make for a young running back room. Dallas could look to sign a veteran name and reportedly have two guys in mind.
According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are considering Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook as options for the 2024 season. The history with Elliott is obvious, being drafted by the organization and spending seven years in Dallas before being released last offseason.
Cook does have some familiarity but due to the team’s most recent defensive coordinator hire, Mike Zimmer.
“Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook are two veteran options who stand to draw strong club consideration as free agency progresses,” Gehlken said. “Elliott spent seven seasons in Dallas from 2016-22. Cook would reunite with Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, his head coach on the Minnesota Vikings from 2017-21.”
Elliott played in 17 games last season with the New England Patriots, starting in just five. He recorded career-low stats in all major categories, having 642 yards and three touchdowns on 184 attempts. Even with the fewer carries, the running back’s YPC fell below 3.5 for the second consecutive year.
Cook was not too far away, also playing in the NFC East with the New York Jets. In 15 games, Cook ran for 214 yards and no touchdowns on 67 carries.
After being cut toward the end of the season, the Baltimore Ravens picked Cook up but he did not record a stat with the team.
Head coach Mike McCarthy admitted the Cowboys were looking to add to the running back room, even after signing Dowdle. Exactly how Dallas handles the situation is unknown, at least when people involved with the franchise are publicly speaking.
“I think we definitely want to add to the running back room,” McCarthy said. “We’re not done with that room by no means, whether it’s a veteran, whether it is a draft pick. Signing Rico back was important. He’s definitely someone that was part of the one-two rotation last year, so we feel good about him.
“But we’ve got some young guys in here that look to [make a] jump. …. You look at Hunter (Luepke), Deuce [Vaughn] and even Malik [Davis]. I’m expecting them to take a big jump and compete for playing time.”
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