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Just about any and every free agent running back has been linked to the Dallas Cowboys — regardless of there being any truth to the rumors. Chris Johnson, Ben Tate, Felix Jones and Knowshon Moreno are on that list, to name a few.
As of late, however, another name has come up: Ray Rice. The veteran running back has been out of football for more than a year and recently had his domestic violence charges dismissed. With that said, it would seem like a good time for the Cowboys to make a move and sign the former Rutgers running back. That’s hardly the case.
Aside from the fact that Rice carries more baggage and negative publicity than just about any player in the league, he’s also been away from the game for more than a year and is coming off a career-worst season in 2013. That year, Rice rushed for just 660 yards on 214 attempts, which averages out to 3.1 yards per carry, down from 4.4 yards per carry in 2012.
His production in the passing game also dropped off dramatically over the past three seasons, going from 704 receiving yards in 2011 to just 321 yards in 2013. Each of the past three seasons, Rice has seen his production tail off in nearly every category, including touchdowns. That’s not promising for a guy who just had a year away from football and is now 28 years old.
Rice’s situation is essentially the opposite of Joseph Randle‘s. Randle is a young running back coming off a year in which he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns on just 51 rushes. He improved drastically from 2013 to 2014 and shows big-play ability with every carry. He has the straight-line speed and elusiveness to succeed in this league, especially behind Dallas’ offensive line.
Yes, Randle has his share of off-the-field concerns, but none like Rice’s issues — and he’s stayed out of trouble so far this offseason. He’s proving Dallas can trust him on and off the field and will definitely be stiff competition for Darren McFadden come training camp.
I’ll take my chances on a 23-year-old promising running back coming off a strong season over a 28-year-old back who saw his numbers tail off a year before sitting out an entire season. After taking risks on Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory and La’el Collins, Jerry Jones should avoid taking another in the form of Rice.
