Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys Could Make Trade For Pro Bowl Running Back

Originally posted on NFL Analysis Network
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated 5/25/24

The Dallas Cowboys have not exactly handled their backfield situation well this offseason.

The Cowboys allowed running back Tony Pollard to walk in free agency, but didn’t immediately sign anyone to replace him. Many felt they would pursue Derrick Henry, but they watched as he took his talents to the Baltimore Ravens.

At that point, the general consensus was that Dallas would select a halfback in the NFL Draft, and many had pegged Texas standout Jonathon Brooks as someone the Cowboys would take. Instead, Brooks went to the Carolina Panthers in the early second round, leaving Dallas out in the cold.

The Cowboys responded by bringing back Ezekiel Elliott shortly after the draft, but at this stage of Elliott’s career, he is a complementary back more than anything else.

Currently, Dallas’ running back room contains Elliott, Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle, which is not exactly a very enviable group.

However, Joe Dolan of Fantasy Points sees another option for the Cowboys: Miles Sanders.

“Miles Sanders was a disaster in his first year with Carolina who could look to ship him to Dallas during training camp just to unload that contract.”@FG_Dolan on latest FANTASY FEAST podcast: pic.twitter.com/kSvaGsaVON
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) May 24, 2024

Ironically enough, Sanders plays for the Panthers, and that is the very team that swiped Brooks from under the Cowboys’ noses in the draft last month.

Carolina signed Sanders in free agency last March, but as Dolan said, Sanders was a disaster for the Panthers in his debut campaign with the club, rushing for just 432 yards and a touchdown while averaging a meager 3.3 yards per carry in 16 games.

So, why would Dallas be interested in adding him?

Well, Sanders is just two seasons removed from a Pro Bowl campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles, when he racked up 1,269 yards and 11 scores while logging a robust 4.9 yards per carry.

The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Penn State, was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

He registered 818 yards and three scores on the ground during his rookie season, posting 4.6 yards per tote. In addition, he hauled in 50 receptions for 509 yards and three scores.

While Sanders has not been that sort of pass-catching threat out of the backfield ever since, he did post record four very efficient rushing seasons for Philadelphia, topping out at 5.5 yards per carry in 2021.

Would Sanders represent a be-all-end-all answer for the Cowboys’ backfield? Probably not, but he would at least provide Dallas with a veteran option.

This article first appeared on NFL Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: