Cowboys: Randle An Example Of Poor Front Office

The Dallas Cowboys knew that running back Joseph Randle had issues, yet they still decided to count on a player that was released midway through 2015.

Hindsight now shows that the Dallas Cowboys made a really stupid decision almost a year ago concerning the running back position. Not only was league-leading running back DeMarco Murray allowed to leave via free agency for the Philadelphia Eagles, but his apparent replacement was a known head case that should have never been relied upon.

Joseph Randle, previously only a backup to Murray, was the assumed heir-apparent to Murray in a Cowboys backfield that’s included names like Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett, Calvin Hill, Don Perkins, Herschel Walker and even Murray, owner of the best single-season rushing mark in franchise history. Normally, elevating a backup to starter status would be a victory, at least where accumulating quality depth is concerned.

However, there was other elements of concern regarding Randle.

The reality is that Randle had already served notice that he didn’t belong in the NFL, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones wasn’t listening.

In October of 2014, Randle was caught stealing men’s underwear and a tester bottle of cologne.

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Let that sink in for a minute.

Here’s a professional athlete who, in this case, is making far too much money to not simply wait in line to pay for underwear and probably a new, unopened bottle of cologne.

I couldn’t make any sense of this event when it happened and I think the part that really stumped me was the tester bottle of fragrance that could probably have been purchased new for under $100.00, right? I’ve never heard of anybody trying to steal a bottle of tester cologne, although I’m sure it’s happened.

No matter how hard you try to make sense of it, there’s no explaining away this case of petty theft committed by a pro athlete with the disposable cash available that even a player like Randle should have. Even if he doesn’t, why not simply borrow some cash, apply for a credit card or simply wait?

A year ago this month, Randle was then arrested for an apparent domestic issue with a girlfriend, yet another profound indication that this individual is probably not fit for the NFL landscape – or any landscape beyond a penitentiary, for that matter. Remember that Murray was still available to the Cowboys at this point, yet Jones was still content to bank a guy who steals underwear and can’t get along with women he’s slept with.

No, Darren McFadden, Murray’s eventual and literal replacement, didn’t arrive until Murray was signed away, thus leaving the Cowboys with the hope that a combination of Randle, McFadden and 3rd-down runner Lance Dunbar would be plenty to keep the offense moving along.

The plan almost worked, except Randle just kept getting more and more off-the-wall as the regular season got underway. There’s no point in rehashing the rather brief legal history surrounding Randle. The point here is that this player was relied upon to carry the ball as a leader for the Cowboys after stealing underwear in a Frisco shopping mall – and then was cut before midseason once the Cowboys learned that the former Oklahoma State star would be facing a suspension for violation of the NFL personal conduct policy.

Within the last week, Randle was arrested once again for basically being at the wrong place at the wrong time – a conscious decision that a rational person probably wouldn’t make. Reports now state that Randle might have some biological issues which make him delusional.

This is in no way to suggest that the Cowboys should have kept Murray instead of Randle. Murray was going to cost too much and his performance with the Eagles last season coupled with Dallas’ injury issues during the same time would have ended up looking like a big, fat rip off.

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It is to say that Randle should have never been entrusted with a starting job with the Cowboys, period. As a matter of fact, Randle should have been released in his new underwear a year ago in October.

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