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Seemingly everyone outside the doors of Valley Ranch is worried about the Dallas Cowboys‘ running back situation. With no star on the roster, Dallas will head into the season with a committee approach. Of course, it’ll be extremely difficult to match the production of All-Pro DeMarco Murray, but that’s the task at hand for this group of running backs.
Leading the group is Darren McFadden, the running back who never lived up to the expectations of being the No. 4 overall pick in 2008. Every season, McFadden battles through injuries just to stay on the field, and there’s not much to make fans think otherwise in 2015. That’s where Joseph Randle comes in.
Although he’s had his share of concerns off the field, Randle has shown promise on the field. His improvement from 2013 to 2014 is eye-popping, and there’s no reason to think he can’t continue this upward trend towards stardom — especially behind Dallas’ offensive line.
In 2014, Randle averaged 6.7 yards per carry, albeit in a small sample size. But his ability goes beyond the stat sheet where his talent pops off the screen when watching film. He has a shiftiness that Murray lacked, making opponents miss with his agility and home-run speed.
Not to take anything away from Murray’s incredible, record-breaking season, but Randle shows promise that can help ease the burden of replacing No. 29. Behind an offensive line that opened up massive running lanes for Murray, I have zero doubt that Randle can hit the same holes with more speed and elusiveness. Power is not Randle’s forte, but speed and putting defenders on skates is — and that’s why he’ll succeed in the backfield.
In my mind, it’s not out of the question for the Cowboys to cut McFadden before the start of the season. A contract with very little guaranteed makes that more feasible. And with Randle, Lance Dunbar, Ryan Williams and a handful of undrafted free agents battling in training camp, I would not be surprised to see McFadden beat out for a roster spot.
