The Dallas Cowboys felt comfortable allowing DeMarco Murray, who led the NFL in rushing last year with more than 1,800 yards, to leave for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. Their confidence stemmed from the abundance of talent on their offensive line, which featured three first-round picks in Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin and recently added rookie first-round talent La'El Collins earlier this offseason. Running behind those blockers, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believed Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar would be more than serviceable as Murray's replacements.
But that doesn't mean that Dallas is unwilling to cover all of its bases. The Cowboys are reportedly still interested in adding another body to the mix in the backfield.
"Stephen Jones said there could be a lot of action from the Cowboys after final cuts. Running back will be a position of interest, per Jones," Clarence Hill of the Dallas-Star Telegram tweeted.
Final cuts are expected to take place following the fourth and final preseason games this weekend. Although the Cowboys did not express any interest in the recently released Fred Jackson, a more affordable option may become available as teams try to trim down their rosters in the coming week.
As of now, Randle is expected to be the lead back in Dallas though recent preseason strategies have hinted at a running back by committee approach for the Cowboys. McFadden returned from a knee injury last week and impressed in limited action during Dallas' 28-14 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Dunbar will likely only be used for spot duty and in third-down situations.
We'll keep you updated as final cuts start to roll in.
