Cowboys Letting Key Backup Test Free Agency Market
By Jovan Alford
There’s a lot of discussion surrounding the running back position and what the Dallas Cowboys will do to address it. Will they re-sign a soon-to-be free agent Tony Pollard, who wasn’t given the franchise tag on Monday?
Or will Dallas opt not to re-sign Pollard and go after superstar running back Derrick Henry? That’s a significant question Dallas must answer in the next few weeks. In addition to figuring out the RB1 spot, the team must find a solution for the RB2 spot.
Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reported Monday that Cowboys backup running back Rico Dowdle will hit the free agent market.
As the Cowboys brass heads to the combine, a source said RBs Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle will both hit the free agent market. No franchise tag for Pollard. He was tagged last year at $10.1 mil. Running back room might be different in 2024.
— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) February 26, 2024
The 25-year-old Dowdle is coming off his best season with Dallas, playing a career-high 22% of the offensive snaps.
The 6-foot running back posted 361 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 89 carries. Dowdle also saw some action in the Cowboys’ passing game, totaling 17 receptions (22 targets) for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Spotrac projects the 25-year-old running back to receive a three-year, $6.1 million deal, which isn’t an expensive contract for the Cowboys or any other team looking to improve their running back depth.
However, Dallas doesn’t have the best financial situation, as they are $9 million over the cap.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Cowboys take a running back in the NFL Draft for the second straight year, as they already have rookie Deuce Vaughn on the roster.
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