Cowboys Draft: The Logic Behind NOT Drafting a RB
By Reid Hanson
There is a method to the Dallas Cowboys’ madness in NOT selecting a RB in the 2015 NFL Draft.
In the pre-draft press conference, the Dallas Cowboys announced that the running back position wasn’t high on their list of draft priorities. What we took as a smokescreen before the draft, quickly became a reality after the draft.
After facing the reality that Darren McFadden is the frontrunner to claim the starting spot at the team’s most important vacant position, many of us wondered – what (the hell) were they thinking? Even when Jason Garrett made an appearance on both ESPN and NFL Network explaining the Cowboys’ disciplined approach of “sticking to the board” and “not reaching” on a position of need, fans were still left with that all-too-familiar uneasy feeling.
But it appears there’s a method to their madness…
The 2015 NFL Draft was both top-heavy and deep in running back talent. In what equates to a positional talent-dump, think of Newton’s Law of Motion: “Every force of action deserves an equal and opposite force of reaction.”
How does this this help the Cowboys?
Every relatively high draft pick, is sure to claim a roster spot. The effect of this is that there will be a corresponding reaction. This will either be in the trade market, or in free agency. Look at the first round if you need immediate proof. The St. Louis Rams selected Todd Gurley. It doesn’t take a psychic to see the writing on the wall, and after tweeting, “Yikes”, Zac Stacey quickly requested a trade and has moved on.
THAT is a reaction.
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It turns out the Cowboys were not lying when they said pre-draft that RB wasn’t big on their list of priorities. Jerry Jones is honest. Honest to fault. In most cases, he speaks forever without actually saying anything. The fact that he ACTUALLY SAID SOMETHING was, in itself, the giant red flag. We heard bluntness and we interpreted it as a smokescreen. But it wasn’t a smokescreen…at least not 100%.
Newton’s Law of Motion: every force of action deserves an equal and opposite force of reaction
The Cowboys had their players ranked and were unwilling to deviate. They felt confident in their current stable, and likely, they believe in the positive repercussions on a strong class. The Cowboys may be signing undrafted free agents, but most importantly, keeping an eye on other NFL rosters.
How will this all shake out?
We’ll see, but the Cowboys were able to plug some essential holes, upgrade some essential spots, and cover some essential depth. Jay Ajayi would have been pretty nice in the 4th but that never appeared to be their plan.
So one very important spot remains – RB. They had some highly thought of talent available, but felt there were better options currently on the roster.
Darren McFadden may not be the most inspiring player to be leading the pack, but then again, how inspiring was DeMarco Murray before last season? We always liked him, and his potential, but none of us predicted the year he had in 2014.
The Cowboys know their talent better than anyone else. They let DeMarco Murray walk with nary a fuss for a reason, and they were inactive in the draft for a reason. Is it Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar, or Ryan Williams that has them so confident? Maybe it’s a combination of them. Is it Newton’s Law of Motion that helps ease their concern? There is a method to their madness…What it is exactly remains to be seen…
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