Cowboys fans are probably tired of hearing this, but Dallas is once again missing opportunities to address one of their top weaknesses. After wasting the entire 2024 offseason without addressing the running back rotation, the Cowboys had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league last season. Cowboys fans understandably thought that the team would finally bolster its RB room ahead of 2025, but it has unfortunately been more of the same from Jerry Jones.
Tuesday's news was the last drop for the fan base. Arguably the best running back left on the market, J.K. Dobbins, signed with the Denver Broncos, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Not pursuing a talented difference maker who is coming off his healthiest season in years is a frustrating decision by the Cowboys that could come back to haunt them.
Cowboys Let the Best RB Available Sign With the Broncos
BREAKING: The #Broncos are signing RB JK Dobbins, per multiple sources.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 10, 2025
The former Ohio State star had 1,058 yards from scrimmage last season with 9 TDs. pic.twitter.com/ViOzZ15S6q
It's not like the Cowboys didn't revamp the running back room. They let Rico Dowdle walk in free agency, and brought in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders while using a fifth-round pick on Jaydon Blue out of Texas. With Deuce Vaughn returning for another season, the Cowboys have some options in the backfield.
None of these options, however, has the upside that Dobbins has. Williams will likely start the season as RB1 with Sanders behind him as the RB2. But Williams has never had a season as productive as Dobbins' 2024 campaign in his career, and Sanders' best days are behind him.
When it comes to the running back rotation, the Cowboys have long played it safe and gone after unproven players or rushers past their prime. It was the right time to make a big swing for a high-reward option like Dobbins, but Jerry Jones refused to do so once again.
Dobbins certainly has injury risks, and there is a chance the signing will not work out in Denver. That wouldn't change the fact that the Cowboys made a mistake by not pursuing him this offseason.