FRISCO, Texas — In 2015, the Dallas Cowboys suffered through a 4-12 season. Expectations were as high as they had been since the 1990s Super Bowl runs, but Tony Romo broke his collarbone — twice — and started and finished only three games.
The reward for the poor finish was the No. 4 pick in the 2016 NFL draft.
The final decision came down to cornerback Jalen Ramsey and running back Ezekiel Elliott. Many inside the building wanted the Cowboys to go with Ramsey, believing the value was greater in a defender. Then-coach Jason Garrett wanted Elliott in part because he saw what DeMarco Murray meant to the Cowboys in 2014, leading the NFL in rushing.
The Cowboys selected Elliott, and he transformed the team. Yes, quarterback Dak Prescott was named Rookie of the Year, but Elliott was the team’s engine, leading the league in rushing. He would lead the league again in 2018.
In 2019, the Cowboys signed Elliott to a six-year, $90 million extension, hoping he still had elite years left in his legs, while knowing a running back’s shelf life is not the longest. He ran for 1,357 yards that season but would eclipse 1,000 yards only one more time.
This year, the Cowboys hold the No. 12 pick and have been linked to the top running backs available: Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton. Both players were predraft visitors to The Star. Both could be available when the Cowboys are on the clock.
Is there a lesson the Cowboys learned by selecting Elliott with their first pick 10 years ago?
“I thought Zeke had a hell of a run. He played at a high, high level,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “The second contact wasn’t quite as productive, but I thought Zeke ended up being a great pick for us.”
Read into that what you want as the Cowboys consider a running back at No. 12.
Last season, running backs had something of a resurgence.
Saquon Barkley’s 2,000-yard season led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl championship. Derrick Henry ran for 1,921 yards with the Baltimore Ravens. Bijan Robinson, the No. 7 pick of the 2023 draft by the Atlanta Falcons, finished with 1,456 yards. Jahmyr Gibbs was a big-play threat in Detroit. Josh Jacobs was a huge free agent pickup for the Green Bay Packers.
Brian Schottenheimer has talked about the importance of the running game since he was named head coach. He hired an offensive line coach, Klayton Adams, as the offensive coordinator.
At the owners meeting, Schottenheimer was asked about the team’s offensive identity.
“Physical. Again, I talked a little bit in the opening press conference about the marriage between the run game and the action pass, but as a football team, as an offense, we want to be physical,” Schottenheimer said. “My M.O. has always been to run the football. I really believe that the game is up front. Led the league twice as coordinator. Proud of that.”
In 2009, Schottenheimer was the offensive coordinator of the New York Jets when Thomas Jones led the AFC in rushing and New York finished with the top-ranked rushing offense. In 2018, he was the Seattle Seahawks’ playcaller when they led the NFL in rushing.
Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, made “Martyball” famous in his time with the Kansas City Chiefs, leaning on the run game and defense.
“I think getting a guy like Klayton Adams really helps us as the coordinator [with] his knowledge. I’ve been tracking him for a couple years now,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s an incredible mind, not just when it comes to the run game, but just how to attack defenses and how to get favorable leverage and things like that. But physical is the first thing that kind of jumps out at me.”
In 2024, there were 16 1,000-yard rushers, including the Cowboys’ Rico Dowdle, who finished with 1,079 yards.
He did not become the Cowboys’ lead running back until the Cowboys’ eighth game of the season when they finally moved away from using a running back by committee. In the final 10 games, Dowdle ran for 833 yards.
If Dowdle had that production over a full season, he would have rushed for 1,416 yards.
Before last season, he had 361 of his career 385 rushing yards in 2023. And he was an undrafted free agent.
For those who believe a running back can be found anywhere, Dowdle was their proof.
Running back is considered among the deepest positions in this year’s draft. Some teams believe lead backs can be found in the third and fourth rounds. In addition to Jeanty and Hampton, the Cowboys visited with Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon II, Miami’s Damien Martinez and SMU’s Brashard Smith.
In free agency, the Cowboys added Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders.
“We’ll see if there is a young back there as well that can help us in the draft,” Jones said. “We’re certainly wide open to that. Just see what comes our way.”
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