Cowboys RBs

[Doomsday101]

All I know is in the end who ever the RB group is it will be a strength of this team. With the backs we have behind this OL Dallas should be able to run the ball and help keep the offense in prime down and distance situations. This is one way to keep Romo healthy by keeping defense off balance

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

If he isn't healthy to play right now he doesn't need a spot on the team....what don't you get about that.

With a logjam at RB you go with the healthy guy not a guy that is getting paid 3 million, oldest at the spot and injuried.

McFadden isn't special and he is hurt...again like most his career

We get 90 players on the roster and as a NFI guy he doesn't count against that. So it doesn't matter. He isn't getting paid 3 million, it's $850k less than that, which is chump change for a starting caliber RB. The games don't count yet, so it doubly doesn't matter.

He is the only RB we have with a proven track record. He is our best pass protector. No reason to kick him to the curb.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

You don't build thru the draft by cutting rookies with 21 year old legs and 4 years of cheap contracts for 29 year one trick pony vets that cost 2m and don't play STs....McFadden is the definition of expendable, his broken elbow just sealed the deal

You have gone way off the deep in regard to cap, Every thought you have is drive first by the cap. It's not the way to put the best football team on the field, especially when it can be manipulated so easily.

McFadden is the most complete proven back we have on the field. Elliott could be, but we haven't seen much of him either. McFadden at least has a track record.

 

[Nightman]

You have gone way off the deep in regard to cap, Every thought you have is drive first by the cap. It's not the way to put the best football team on the field, especially when it can be manipulated so easily.

McFadden is the most complete proven back we have on the field. Elliott could be, but we haven't seen much of him either. McFadden at least has a track record.

I listed about 4 other reasons besides the cap but cool story bro

 

[KJJ]

With McFadden missing all of training camp and possibly the entire preseason it's looking like it could be another one of those injury plagued seasons he's had in the past. With him just standing around all summer something is bound to pop up like a hamstring or some other injury that could hamper him. Haven't heard how Jackson has been looking in camp but he didn't look too bad in the preseason opener.

I said during the spring that if McFadden suffers an injury that causes him to miss a significant amount of time during training camp it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't make the team. Not saying he'll be cut but him being inactive all summer has left the Cowboys with a dilemma.

 

[DC Cowboy]

I am leaning towards letting Dmac go because his touches will evaporate completely here .If we decide to keep him then we have to ditch the Full Back but i am OK with that too.

I would Rather keep DMac and let Dunbar go. D Mac can help out if Zeke or Morris gets injured. Not sure if I want to rely on a Rookie to pick up blitzes if I have a veteran option.

 

[KJJ]

I would Rather keep DMac and let Dunbar go.

That's probably what's going to happen because Zek, McFadden and even Jackson can be a threat in the passing game but you can't lean on Dunbar as a runner. All Dunbar provides is a receiving threat and with him battling back from a serious injury he appears to be the odd man out but McFadden's injury could change things. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

 

[CowboyChris]

I'd go with Zeke, Morris, Jackson, if we keep Rod Smith at FB, IF we dont keep a FB, i would keep McFadden over Dunbar.

 

[UTmodisette]

That's probably what's going to happen because Zek, McFadden and even Jackson can be a threat in the passing game but you can't lean on Dunbar as a runner. All Dunbar provides is a receiving threat and with him battling back from a serious injury he appears to be the odd man out but McFadden's injury could change things. We'll just have to see how it plays out.

Will be interesting to see how the coaches value the players, because they definitely like McFadden and respect him a lot. At the same time, none of the other running backs provide the type of role Dunbar can. Yes they are good at catching the ball, but none of them have the speed, quickness, or route running ability Dunbar has. Now if the coaches think he can't stay healthy, I get that. But you don't keep a 3rd string runningback over a guy like Dunbar because you are worried about his ability to be an every down runner. You could argue Dallas doesn't beat the Giants last year, or even the Seahawks in 2014 without Dunbar. I can't think of any games McFadden was the difference in.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

You guys are sold on Jackson over McFadden?

I'm not sold yet.

I definitely am. He showed excellent vision, & hit the hole hard once he saw it. No dancing. Plus, he's so much younger than McFadden. Cut D-Mac loose now.

 

[Idgit]

RB3 will be a player who gives us something on ST, probably.

Dunbar's an interesting case, because he's both an injury risk and a player who gives you something valuable schematically. We might well be able to use Zeke the way we started using Dunbar last year--flexing him out and throwing against run defense personnel. But if Zeke were to miss time for any reason, keeping Dunbar and Morris or Jackson let's us keep that wrinkle in our offense.

Sure, we could do the same thing with McFadden in Morris' place, but I think Morris is safer by virtue of his 2 year contract this season.

If nobody plays ST well enough, I question the roster spot at all, and would rather keep three with one of them Morris (who doesn't miss time) and try to get Jackson to the PS. Dunbar, at least, has some moderate return values in STs.

 

[UTmodisette]

RB3 will be a player who gives us something on ST, probably.

Dunbar's an interesting case, because he's both an injury risk and a player who gives you something valuable schematically. We might well be able to use Zeke the way we started using Dunbar last year--flexing him out and throwing against run defense personnel. But if Zeke were to miss time for any reason, keeping Dunbar and Morris or Jackson let's us keep that wrinkle in our offense.

Sure, we could do the same thing with McFadden in Morris' place, but I think Morris is safer by virtue of his 2 year contract this season.

If nobody plays ST well enough, I question the roster spot at all, and would rather keep three with one of them Morris (who doesn't miss time) and try to get Jackson to the PS. Dunbar, at least, has some moderate return values in STs.

Glad you get it. You don't keep guys as backups with the goal of stacking the best talent who could step in as your starter. The third and fourth runningbacks are going to need to have a special teams/offensive role for the team. Yes I would like McFadden as depth in case of injuries, but if Elliot is healthy then I don't see him playing. He's not going to replace him on third down, and the coaches even said that McFadden is better as a lead back than a fill in for a couple of plays so he won't fill that role either. Dunbar has enough ability to warrant playing some downs as a receiving back over Elliot, because none of the runningbacks have his speed or quickness. Look at what Dio Lewis did last year, he dominated before he got hurt. There is a role for a guy like that on any team.

 

[KJJ]

Will be interesting to see how the coaches value the players, because they definitely like McFadden and respect him a lot. At the same time, none of the other running backs provide the type of role Dunbar can. Yes they are good at catching the ball, but none of them have the speed, quickness, or route running ability Dunbar has. Now if the coaches think he can't stay healthy, I get that. But you don't keep a 3rd string runningback over a guy like Dunbar because you are worried about his ability to be an every down runner. You could argue Dallas doesn't beat the Giants last year, or even the Seahawks in 2014 without Dunbar. I can't think of any games McFadden was the difference in.

Dunbar was arguably the teams MVP the first few games last season but he's coming off a serious injury and didn't play a down in the preseason opener. We don't know where his speed or quickness is at this point. With Zeke having a hamstring issue hard to sacrifice a back like McFadden who can carry the load for a back who provides a better receiving threat. Zeke can provide a dangerous receiving threat. Jackson has great speed he provided 21 catches for 201 yards with 2 TD's his final season in college. It's likely to come down to the health of Dunbar and McFadden. If Dunbar doesn't appear he'll be ready for opening day then I doubt he makes the team. He's going to have to show either in practice or preseason that he's ready to go and still has the speed and quickness we've seen from him.

 

[reddyuta]

I would Rather keep DMac and let Dunbar go. D Mac can help out if Zeke or Morris gets injured. Not sure if I want to rely on a Rookie to pick up blitzes if I have a veteran option.

I think Zeke is better than Dmac at blitz pickup already.

 

[JDSmith]

I think Zeke is better than Dmac at blitz pickup already.

He wasn't before he hurt his hamstring. They were talking about it on the podcast and there were plays where he was in the right position but simply not prepared for how hard some of these guys will come. Maybe he's gotten better since he was injured, but I somehow doubt it.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

We get 90 players on the roster and as a NFI guy he doesn't count against that. So it doesn't matter. He isn't getting paid 3 million, it's $850k less than that, which is chump change for a starting caliber RB. The games don't count yet, so it doubly doesn't matter.

He is the only RB we have with a proven track record. He is our best pass protector. No reason to kick him to the curb.

He isn't our best pass protector or proven track record. You guys are going over board on McFadden season last year

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

He isn't our best pass protector or proven track record. You guys are going over board on McFadden season last year

Who is then?

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

He isn't our best pass protector or proven track record. You guys are going over board on McFadden season last year

You are going nuts over a dime a dozen RB

 

[Irvin88_4life]

You are going nuts over a dime a dozen RB

McFadden is a dime a dozen running back, what's your point

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

McFadden is a dime a dozen running back, what's your point

Who is a better pass protector of our RB's? The only one it could be is Elliott but hard to know. None of the others is even close.