Cowboys' Schotty Fires Brutal Warning Shot

Rico Dowdle, the Dallas Cowboys' 1,000-yard running back in 2024, signed elsewhere in free agency, opening up the offseason with a move to Carolina. 

Most thought the organization would then wait to find their next potential starter early in the NFL Draft, but owner/general manager Jerry Jones inked two veterans as insurance in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders.

But since then ...

On Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys secured two running back prospects in the fifth and seventh round. This is much to the delight of Cowboys Nation, who were rather unmoved by the free agent signings.

Dallas selected Jaydon Blue out of Texas (pick No. 149) and Clemson's Phil Mafah (No. 239), two draft prospects with contrasting styles.

In speaking about the new additions, head coach Brian Schottenheimer showed optimism that Dallas found what it was looking for in the Draft from a physicality and mentality standpoint.

When asked if either of the drafted running backs are capable of becoming the starter, Schottenheimer said, "I would hope so or otherwise we wouldn’t have drafted them.”

That's exciting to hear if you're a fan of Blue or Mafah, but it's also a brutal reality check for Williams and Sanders.

There is now a four-man competition in training camp to see who will pull away as the favorite to be the Week 1 starter. One of these four may be at risk of not making the 53-man roster, too.

Williams and Sanders may still have gas in the tank, but they are coming off lackluster performances last season.

In Denver in 2024, Williams (who is still just 25 years old, by the way) ran for just 513 yards as he struggled to find where he fit in the Broncos' offense. This is his second full season where he has shown regression from his 2021 rookie campaign that totaled over 900 yards on the ground.

Sanders, 27, has two more years of his experience under his belt - which includes being a starter in a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. However, his most recent action was two forgetful years with the Carolina Panthers where he registered an average of only 318 yards per season.

With new homes in Dallas, the two have plenty to work on if they want to return to top form ... which is a form that would certainly help the Cowboys' run attack in 2025.

But ... these two draftees show a lot of promise and enthusiasm, too.

Blue comes to Dallas as one of the fastest running backs in his draft class and Mafah, at 230 pounds, is a bruiser with a physical, contact-running skillset that is sure to make Schotty excited.

"Thunder and Lightning''?

These styles complement each other well and have generated a lot of buzz with Cowboys' fans - which draws parallels to the Ezekiel Elliott/Tony Pollard "Dine & Dash" memories.

So, who will win the job? There is a lot of time left in the offseason to figure that out.

Between more voluntary workouts, mandatory minicamp, OTAs and training camp in California, there will be a heated competition to see who will command the most carries this season.

We imagine Williams and Sanders are highly motivated to earn their place on the roster as experienced players, but these remarks from their new coach are a gut punch that should get them laser focused heading into the rest of the offseason.