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Following the loss of DeMarco Murray this offseason, the Dallas Cowboys have played it somewhat slow with regards to replacing the All-Pro. Finding a player to fill in for a guy who carried the ball 392 times for 1,845 yards is no easy task, but one move Dallas did make was signing veteran running back Darren McFadden.
McFadden hasn’t had much success since coming into the league as the No. 4 overall pick in 2008, mainly due to his inability to stay on the field with the Oakland Raiders. Coming out of Arkansas, McFadden was one of the most sought after prospects in the 2008 draft, displaying both speed, power and versatility as a running back. In his final year with the Razorbacks, McFadden put up 1,830 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, while also returning kickoffs. Unfortunately, McFadden has only topped 1,000 yards once in the NFL and has played in all 16 games the same number of times.
Now, the former Razorback has a chance to resurrect his career in Dallas. If McFadden can stay healthy, he can make a great one-two punch with Joseph Randle in the Cowboys’ backfield. With McFadden’s injury history and lack of success as a featured back, Randle can split carries with him, keeping his legs fresh and healthy — so long as McFadden makes the 53-man roster, that is.
Securing a spot for the regular season is no guarantee for McFadden, as he was brought in on a low-risk contract for the Cowboys. The deal was for two years, $3 million with just $200k guaranteed, meaning the Cowboys could cut him and only lose out on the $200k signing bonus. If Randle, Lance Dunbar or Ryan Williams step up in training camp and show more potential than McFadden, he may not make it to the 53-man roster.
He’s gotten off to a slow start this offseason, mainly working through individual drills, but that will have to change come training camp if McFadden wants to secure a spot with this team. In order to really make an impact, McFadden has to be that dynamic runner he was in college. He may not have 4.33-speed anymore, but he can still run away from linebackers and most defensive backs. I expect Randle to shoulder most of the load for the Cowboys with McFadden getting fewer carries. Having two solid running backs instead of one superstar could prove beneficial for the health of both players, which will be important down the stretch.
