The Dallas Cowboys have made several important improvements during the 2025 NFL offseason. Dallas promoted Brian Schottenheimer to head coach and added several talented players during the 2025 NFL Draft. Cowboys fans have a lot to be excited about this fall, but there is still one position on the roster that does not inspire confidence.
ESPN's Dan Graziano published an article on Wednesday that featured lingering questions heading into the quiet months of the NFL offseason.
Graziano posed one question related to the Cowboys: why didn't they do more at running back?
Graziano started his argument by laying out the facts. Dallas did not have a good running game at all in 2024.
“Only five teams rushed for fewer yards in 2024 than Dallas (1,705), and the team's six rushing touchdowns ranked last in the league,” Graziano wrote. “The retirement of longtime interior offensive line standout Zack Martin isn't likely to help the Cowboys improve their rushing attack.”
The Cowboys did sign Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders during free agency. They also drafted Texas RB Jaydon Blue during the fifth round of the draft.
This begs the question: will the Cowboys add one more player to the mix ahead of training camp?
Will the Cowboys turn to a veteran like Nick Chubb or J.K. Dobbins during training camp?
Graziano does not believe the Cowboys will add more talent at running back.
He pointed out that Dallas has been pretty cheap when addressing the position over the past few seasons.
“Over the past couple of years, the Cowboys have made it clear that they intend to find bargains at running back,” Graziano added. “Dowdle's journey from the middle of the depth chart to a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2024 supports their idea that they can find production at RB without spending big.”
This seems to align with how the Cowboys are building the team this offseason. Williams and Sanders are on one-year deals and Blue is incredibly cheap as a fifth-round rookie.
“The Cowboys believe these are exactly the kinds of chances they should be taking at the position, and that one of Williams, Sanders, Blue and Mafah will emerge the way Dowdle did last season. So I wouldn't necessarily get my hopes up about the possibility of Dallas signing Nick Chubb or J.K. Dobbins,” Graziano concluded.
Graziano made sure to say there is still a chance that Dallas does bring in a veteran. That said, it is easy to understand his skepticism.
Cowboys fans should not get their hopes up about Chubb or Dobbins coming to save the day.
