This front office needs to address the 2 RB position

OmerV

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Backup running back is literally the least of my concerns.

Out of all the issues we have on this roster (QB, DT, DE, S, TE), idk why yall are fixated on someone who will be irrelevant to this team’s success.

While obviously starting positions would be a bigger priority, you have to have quality backups and depth as well. So why not talk about that too? In any case, the back up RB wouldn't be irrelevant if Zeke got hurt. That's the point - to be able to still compete and win games if someone goes down. Like CJ Anderson stepping in late in the Rams season last year when Gurley was injured.
 

OmerV

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Bereft of talent? Three pro bowl punters taken in that draft!

The odd thing was that it was projected as a weak draft. We knew that and wouldn't give up some later round picks to get up three spots to get Unger. We also then traded out when we could have taken the very solid Andy Levitre. We'd been struggling with the line for a while then ... and whiffed on two day one starters.

Damn, and we could have drafted a punter in the 1st round!
 

Nightman

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Bereft of talent? Three pro bowl punters taken in that draft!

The odd thing was that it was projected as a weak draft. We knew that and wouldn't give up some later round picks to get up three spots to get Unger. We also then traded out when we could have taken the very solid Andy Levitre. We'd been struggling with the line for a while then ... and whiffed on two day one starters.
and Unger just retired yesterday...... 10 years wasted
 

Alexander

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I am fairly confident they will look in the draft. They can get a guy like Trayveon Williams, David Montgomery or Devine Ozigbo at some stage.
 

eromeopolk

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Zeke is the most important piece on offense (besides Prescott, but it's close). He plays the most physical position in the game and we've been fortunate to have him stay healthy for his first three seasons in the league. However, when he missed time due to the suspension we all saw how this offense looked.

But, we can't put all of our chips on Zeke alone. He needs to have a strong backup, given this is a run first offense and will more than likely remain that way under new OC Kellen Moore.

If Zeke goes down so does the rest of this team. He's basically near the importance level of an average QB and that says a lot about Zeke and his abilities as a runner.

The front office needs to spend either a 2nd, 3rd round pick on a premium running back. At the very least, a trade up in the 4th to grab a quality runner.

I don't want Rod Smith or that other scrub as the #2 back on the roster this coming season.
Least of the Cowboys off season worries. There is always a Derrick Lassic, Sherman Williams, Chris Warren, Darren McFadden, or Alfred Morris out there to get :)
 

OmerV

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Least of the Cowboys off season worries. There is always a Derrick Lassic, Sherman Williams, Chris Warren, Darren McFadden, or Alfred Morris out there to get :)

Sherman Williams cost the Cowboys a 2nd round pick, and Lassic cost the Cowboys a 4th round pick. That's some pretty real draft capital to use on a player that is the "least of our worries".
 

WillieBeamen

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While obviously starting positions would be a bigger priority, you have to have quality backups and depth as well. So why not talk about that too? In any case, the back up RB wouldn't be irrelevant if Zeke got hurt. That's the point - to be able to still compete and win games if someone goes down. Like CJ Anderson stepping in late in the Rams season last year when Gurley was injured.
If Zeke goes down, we are toast.

We had a competent back in Morris when Zeke was suspended and lost 3 straight games...
 

beware_d-ware

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The one guy who I would take in the 3rd is David Johnson. Dude pinballs off of defenders on inside runs and looks like a good pass blocker too. I think the Kareem Hunt comparison he often gets is apt, he just doesn't go down on first contact.

He's not the speed/receiving back a lot of people want behind Zeke, but he is a starting level NFL player IMO and I'm not passing on any of those guys at #90.
 

J12B

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Least of the Cowboys off season worries. There is always a Derrick Lassic, Sherman Williams, Chris Warren, Darren McFadden, or Alfred Morris out there to get :)

If something were to happen to Zeke, the offense takes a major hit. McFadden or a
If Zeke goes down, we are toast.

We had a competent back in Morris when Zeke was suspended and lost 3 straight games...

We need much better talent than Morris in the 2nd back.

Zeke was showing signs of slowing down at the end of last year. Taking himself off the field after a big run. We need to preserve him better or he'll be done in 2-3 years.
 

QuincyCarterEra

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RB2
3T
SS
TE of the future
CB of the future
RDE depending on Gregory

Are all still major area concerns
 

OmerV

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If Zeke goes down, we are toast.

We had a competent back in Morris when Zeke was suspended and lost 3 straight games...

2016 who wouldn't have said we would be toast when Romo went down? 2017 who wouldn't have said the Eagles would be toast when Wentz went down? Who would have thought the Rams could keep running the ball when Gurley went down last year?

What about the Spencer Ware and Damien Williams stepping up when Hunt got kicked off the Cheifs last year, or the Steelers maintaining a strong running game without LaVeon Bell the way they did in 2015 and 2018?

And what if Zeke is just out 3-4 games at some point, but winning some of those games is vital to the team getting to the playoffs? 3-4 games does not have to doom a team - well, except to your way of thinking.

Sorry, but this "I quit" when things don't go ideally doesn't sit with me. I don't understand how it could sit with anyone who is a sports fan. Literally the entire essence of athletic competition is the effort to overcome adversity.
 
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WillieBeamen

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If something were to happen to Zeke, the offense takes a major hit. McFadden or a


We need much better talent than Morris in the 2nd back.

Zeke was showing signs of slowing down at the end of last year. Taking himself off the field after a big run. We need to preserve him better or he'll be done in 2-3 years.
Why do we need a much better back, when we got soon to be Mr. $30M a year under center??


A lot of you guys are snitching on yourselves :rolleyes:
 

WillieBeamen

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2016 who wouldn't have said we would be toast when Romo went down? 2017 who wouldn't have said the Eagles would be toast when Wentz went down? Who would have thought the Rams could keep running the ball when Gurley went down last year?

What about the Spencer Ware and Damien Williams stepping up when Hunt got kicked off the Cheifs last year, or the Steelers maintaining a strong running game without LaVeon Bell the way they did in 2015 and 2018?

And what if Zeke is just out 3-4 games at some point, but winning some of those games is vital to the team getting to the playoffs? 3-4 games does not have to doom a team - well, except to your way of thinking.

Sorry, but this "I quit" when things don't go ideally doesn't sit with me. I don't understand how it could sit with anyone who is a sports fan. Literally the entire essence of athletic competition is the effort to overcome adversity.
Youre missing the point.

We signed Alfred Morris to be our lead back before even drafting Zeke. While he was nowhere close to Zeke in terms of talent and ability, he was a decent backup RB. In 2017, while Zeke was suspended, Morris put up:

99 carries
430 yards
4.34 ypc (higher than zeke)

At that pace, he wouldve rushed for over 1100 yards..

How much better do we need from our backup, that isnt going to play much? Zeke is not injury prone and is only 23 years old.

The point im making is that, you arent going to get anything close to Zeke’s production, because hes THAT good.

On the other hand, we have a QB that we are going to foolishly give $25m-plus per year. If we (he) needs a generational type RB to carries us to wins, he doesnt deserve that contract and we have a much bigger problem than a back up RB
 

OmerV

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Youre missing the point.

We signed Alfred Morris to be our lead back before even drafting Zeke. While he was nowhere close to Zeke in terms of talent and ability, he was a decent backup RB. In 2017, while Zeke was suspended, Morris put up:

99 carries
430 yards
4.34 ypc (higher than zeke)

At that pace, he wouldve rushed for over 1100 yards..

How much better do we need from our backup, that isnt going to play much? Zeke is not injury prone and is only 23 years old.

The point im making is that, you arent going to get anything close to Zeke’s production, because hes THAT good.

On the other hand, we have a QB that we are going to foolishly give $25m-plus per year. If we (he) needs a generational type RB to carries us to wins, he doesnt deserve that contract and we have a much bigger problem than a back up RB
We don’t have Alfred Morris now, so that’s a moot point. And of course a backup can’t replace Zeke’s production - if he could he wouldn’t be a backup. But none of this means a team cannot win games and keep the ship afloat with a backup, especially if the period needed is 3-5 games or less. So, you want a backup that gives you the best chance to do that.

Obviously I wouldn’t advocate using our top draft pick or using major free agent dollars on a backup RB, but neither would I advocate treating it as a meaningless role like you have. Players get injured, and teams need to be prepared, especially at the most crucial positions.

Your introduction of Dak into this is meaningless. The fact we need a good backup for Zeke is about the RB position, not about QB.
 

WillieBeamen

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We don’t have Alfred Morris now, so that’s a moot point. And of course a backup can’t replace Zeke’s production - if he could he wouldn’t be a backup. But none of this means a team cannot win games and keep the ship afloat with a backup, especially if the period needed is 3-5 games or less. So, you want a backup that gives you the best chance to do that.

Obviously I wouldn’t advocate using our top draft pick or using major free agent dollars on a backup RB, but neither would I advocate treating it as a meaningless role like you have. Players get injured, and teams need to be prepared, especially at the most crucial positions.

Your introduction of Dak into this is meaningless. The fact we need a good backup for Zeke is about the RB position, not about QB.

It actually is about QB.


The last stretch of games without Zeke, the QB looked poor, even with good play from the backup.
 

Roadtrip635

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There are a few FA that could make good backups Ware, Yeldon or Crowell.
 

OmerV

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It actually is about QB.


The last stretch of games without Zeke, the QB looked poor, even with good play from the backup.

The QB play looked poor the few game before Zeke's suspension hit, as well as the 2 remaining games after the suspension ended, so the pretense that it was because Zeke was missing is unfounded.

Besides, we won 3 of the 6 games Zeke was out, largely because we maintained a strong running game during that stretch, and that actually supports the idea of a strong backup for Zeke, so your argument fails on that front as well.

And, again, the idea of just saying "I quit" in the face of adversity rubs me the wrong way. It's an attitude that should have no association with athletic competition.
 

WillieBeamen

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The QB play looked poor the few game before Zeke's suspension hit, as well as the 2 remaining games after the suspension ended, so the pretense that it was because Zeke was missing is unfounded.

Besides, we won 3 of the 6 games Zeke was out, largely because we maintained a strong running game during that stretch, and that actually supports the idea of a strong backup for Zeke, so your argument fails on that front as well.

And, again, the idea of just saying "I quit" in the face of adversity rubs me the wrong way. It's an attitude that should have no association with athletic competition.
Still missing my point


Its not an “i quit” mentality. Zeke is our best player. That goes without saying. He drives our offense. When he is shut down, we rarely win. Its like Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. When/IF he gets hurt, his team crumbles.

Worrying about a player to fill in, IF Zeke gets hurt is weird imo, considering all the other needs of this team right now. Here are the more concerning things about this roster right now:

1. RDE (Gregory replacement)

2. Saftey- Jeff Heath should not be starting for this team anymore. I can argue this is our biggest need

3. TE

4. DT

5. LB

All more important than a backup RB right now. We basically need starters or an upgrade at all of these positions. We have no first round pick either.

I get what youre saying, but its like me obsession over getting a better backup QB in here. While yes, in theory we do need someone better than Rush to backup Dak, in case he gets injured. But at the same time, Dak is 25, and isnt injury prone. If we were talking about Romo or Murray, id understand your concern more, because they have a history of injuries.
 
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