3 Cowboys Who Aren't Safe After First Week of Free Agency
The first week of free agency is in the books and the Dallas Cowboys did, well, not a whole lot.
Outside of signing linebacker Erick Kendricks, the Cowboys haven't brought in any other outside help this offseason. It's been frustrating to watch the lack of moves given that owner Jerry Jones screamed to the heavens about going "all in" this offseason. Dallas still has over $8 million to spend (per Spotrac), so there's still time to turn the offseason around.
Some players likely aren't bothered by Dallas' lack of urgency when it comes to signing free agents. There are several Cowboys on thin ice following underwhelming 2023 campaigns, meaning they potentially see fewer new faces as a good thing when it comes to their 2024 job security.
Unfortunately for the underperformers in question, that might not be the case. Here's a look at three Cowboys who still aren't safe now that one week of free agency is in the books.
1. RB Deuce Vaughn
Cowboys fans were excited to see what Deuce Vaughn could do at the NFL level after being drafted 212th overall last April. The 5-foot-6, 176-pound is far from the biggest running back in the NFL, but his exciting speed and never-say-die attitude throughout training camp 2023 turned Dallas fans into believers.
The hype surrounding Vaughn grew even more during the preseason when he turned 13 carries into 64 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Although a strong exhibition performance doesn't guarantee regular-season success, the former Kansas State rusher still seemingly proved that he has what it takes to play on a professional stage.
Unfortunately, Vaughn didn't do much during the regular season as Rico Dowdle usurped the diminutive rusher as the Cowboys' RB2. Unsurprisingly, the depth chart shift led to Vaughn being limited to 23 carries over seven games, tallying just 40 rushing yards without a touchdown.
Now, Vaughn finds himself atop the Cowboys' RB depth chart now that Dowdle is a free agent while Tony Pollard already signed with the Tennessee Titans. Having said that, it doesn't mean his job is safe.
Even though Dallas has yet to add another RB to the mix, there are still some veteran free-agent names available (Ezekiel Elliott, D'Onta Foreman, etc.). That's without mentioning how they could also look for a younger back with a higher upside at next month's NFL Draft. I just have a hard time imagining the Cowboys using Vaughn as the RB1 or 2 after barely touching the ball last season.
If the Cowboys are serious about ending the Super Bowl drought next February, they must consider upgrading Vaughn regardless of how he looks come training camp.