6 Dallas Cowboys on Thin Ice Following OTAs

6. Deuce Vaughn, RB

Deuce Vaughn was one of the coolest stories in the 2023 NFL Draft, getting the call during the draft from his own father -- a scout for the Cowboys. Then, Vaughn was the talk of the offseason and preseason in Dallas. It looked like he was well on his way to immediately out-playing his NFL Draft status (as a 6th-round pick) until he did almost nothing as a rookie.

Vaughn had one first down run on 23 total carries over the course of his rookie season in which he only appeared in seven games. That in itself was rather surprising given the fact that the Cowboys didn't exactly have a ton of depth at the running back position last year and they needed a spark behind Tony Pollard.

Now, with Pollard off to the Tennessee Titans in NFL free agency, the only substantial move the Cowboys made at running back all offseason was to go after Ezekiel Elliott and bring him in for a reunion tour. Elliott still has something in the tank, but how can the Cowboys keep him fresh and effective all season long?

They are going to need someone like Vaughn to have a great offseason once again in 2024 and prove he can play a more significant role than the 30 touches he got as a rookie.

More Dallas Cowboys news and analysis: