Dallas Cowboys: Joseph Randle on the Cusp

No player, among the Dallas Cowboys’ current stable of running backs, stands to gain more than Joseph Randle. He’s just missing one thing…

Following the highly-successful 2014 campaign, the 12-4 Dallas Cowboys purposely let their record-breaking running back leave, uncontested, in free agency. Simply put, the Dallas Cowboys liked their running back depth, and preferred to spend the big money elsewhere in 2015.

Now the pressure is on the Cowboys to find a successor, amid sky-high expectations.

Joseph Randle stands to benefit the greatest by DeMarco Murray’s departure. The 3^rd year pro out of Oklahoma State ran for an average of 6.7 yards per carry last season, and has his eyes on the lead role in 2015.

Randle will be competing with Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar for carries this season. Of the group, Randle is the player with the most upside, as well as most risk.

Joseph Randle is missing one all-important skill. A skill that is an absolute requirement of any aspiring Dallas Cowboys running-back — pass protection. And at this point, pass-protection is the only thing keeping Joseph Randle from locking down the starting running back spot for 2015.

Pass-blocking was perhaps DeMarco Murray’s single greatest skill in Dallas. Often lost in Murray’s truck-loads of yardage, was his reliability in protecting QB Tony Romo.

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Pro Football Focus (subscription required) uses advanced statistics to find pass blocking efficiency. They use a weighted formula that combines QB-pressure with snaps played. This score for Murray was an admirable 89.4 in pass blocking efficiency. Consider that while Murray only ranked #49 in the NFL in running back pass protection, he was at times asked to do much more than many of his counterparts (take on defensive linemen).

Pass blocking was likely the number one reason the Cowboys added Darren McFadden in the offseason. After all, McFadden isn’t exactly known for success in this brand of zone blocking scheme (ZBS). Nope, the Cowboys were (and continue to be) concerned with Joseph Randle’s pass protection.

Last year, the Cowboys kept Randle from most critical pass protecting situations. As a result, Randle did very well from a statistical perspective. In 2014, Joseph Randle was involved in 36 passing plays, 12 of which he had pass protecting responsibilities. He never gave up a hurry, hit, or sack, earning a perfect score in pass blocking efficiency.

While this extremely small sample size is all well and good, it doesn’t tell the whole story. Just watching Joseph Randle you can see that pass protection is a weakness. Standing 6’0” 210 lbs, he struggles with taking on pass-rushers unless he’s well positioned and emphatic in his actions.

Oftentimes in the past, he lacked technique and ambition in the task. In training camp he seems to be taking on a slightly more interested attitude in pass protection, because if he can’t be trusted to protect the Dallas Cowboys’ MVP, Tony Romo (by far the most irreplaceable player), then he can’t play. It’s as simple as that.

What’s notable is the Dallas Cowboys’ offense rarely keeps their running back in the backfield to pass block. Last season, Demarco Murray only pass protected on 71 of 341 of his passing plays (20.8%). The remaining 79.2% of passing plays, the Cowboys used Murray as a receiver out of the backfield.

More good news is that it appears Joseph Randle is working hard on his pass protection, and while he still has ways to go, he’s trending in the right direction. Joseph Randle is on the cusp of great things for the Dallas Cowboys this season – he just needs that one last thing.

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