The Dallas Cowboys continue their evolution at running back by signing a former Texas A&M running back to replace Joseph Randle.
The release of running back Joseph Randle came as no surprise to many given the last year of this young man’s career in the NFL. What began with the theft of men’s underwear and used cologne at a Dallas-Ft.Worth-area department store a year ago ended up with a pending suspension from the league as well other strange circumstances surrounding the former Oklahoma State standout.
Factor in the offseason departure of DeMarco Murray to the Philadelphia Eagles and the season-ending loss of Lance Dunbar earlier this season, and the Dallas running back picture looks completely different than it did a year ago at this time.
The Cowboys added running back Trey Williams late Tuesday night not so much to replace Randle, but to fill the void left by Dunbar.
Williams played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a teammate of Cowboys running back Christine Michael, who now assumes the backup role to start Darren McFadden. Williams brings an element that Dallas has been lacking, and according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, he’s also quite close to Michael.
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Anytime a player is moved to tears when getting the call to wear the blue star, something good has happened. In a day and age where a sense of entitlement and grossly inflated egos dominate the sports landscape, this kind of passion probably represents what head coach Jason Garrett means when he says, “the right kind of guy.”
Williams is not like this year’s additions of McFadden, Michael or Rod Smith, the latter having been added just a couple of weeks ago. Each of those running backs who have already suited up with the Cowboys bring a certain skill set, power being the common denominator between them.
But Williams is much more like what we saw in Dunbar. He’s smallish at only 5’8” and weighing in at around 190 pounds. Quickness is the name of the game with this runner, and Williams also has experience returning kickoffs, much like Dunbar has.
With legitimate 4.40 speed in the 40-yard dash, this undrafted free agent was plucked off the Washington Redskins practice squad and would seem in line to get some touches with the Cowboys sooner than later. I’m betting that special teams is an area where we’ll see Williams much sooner than later.
If you’ve watched wide receiver Dez Bryant in either of his two games played this season, you probably realize that something’s not right here. While his return from a broken foot against the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday offered little juice to the Dallas offense, he wasn’t exactly lighting it up in the season opener against the New York Giants back in September.
With Bryant slow to reach his normal impact and Dunbar now gone, the Cowboys have been in the market for speed and quickness on offense. Simply put, Dallas needs game-changers and it needs them right now.
Williams should fill that void pretty quick in some way, shape or form.
For a team riding a five-game losing streak at the midway point of a season that’s truly on the ropes, adding Williams could be a season-saver – that’s saying a lot for guy that’s yet to step on the field in an NFL game.
Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures, but if the included video above offers any indication, Williams can do some damage with the Cowboys.
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The only real question is when.