NFL writer suggests Cowboys consider intriguing running back in free agency

The Dallas Cowboys‘ backfield is a mess right now. Tony Pollard departed via free agency, and they have not done anything to replace him as of yet.

Deuce Vaughn and Rico Dowdle are currently the top two running backs on the Cowboys’ roster, and it’s hard to imagine Dallas entering next season without making any adjustments to the position.

Well, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine has a suggestion: J.K. Dobbins.

Dobbins is still available in free agency, and BetMaryland has given the Cowboys the best odds to sign him. The match does seem to make plenty of sense.

Of course, Dobbins would not exactly be a reliable pickup.

While the 25-year-old may be talented, his NFL career has been largely defined by injuries. Since entering the league as a second-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, Dobbins has played in a grand total of 24 games. He missed all of 2021 with a torn ACL, was limited to eight games in 2022 due to another knee injury, and this past season, he tore his Achilles in Week 1.

The Ohio State product flashed considerable potential during his rookie campaign, appearing in 15 contests and registering 805 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground while averaging an incredibly robust six yards per carry. Then, in half of a season in 2022, he totaled 527 yards and a couple of scores, logging an impressive 5.7 yards per attempt.

So, when healthy, Dobbins is clearly very productive, but with a couple of major injuries in his rearview mirror, just how effective will he be at this point?

Ballentine projects that Dobbins will land a one-year, $2 million deal. In that case, the risk would obviously be very minimal, but the Cowboys wouldn’t just be able to sign Dobbins and call it a day.

Dallas would definitely have to add some insurance, which could mean signing another low-key halfback in free agency or taking one in the NFL Draft.

Whatever the case may be, the Cowboys unquestionably need to address their running back situation before September.