In the previous seven seasons in Dallas, the only thing that was a given was to have Ezekiel Elliott run for the franchise. Three of his first four seasons in the NFL, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. The only season that he did not surpass during this period was in 2017 when he played in only 10 matches due to a six-match ban. Even in the 10 games he played in, he missed the 1,000-yard mark with just 17 yards. By the time 2019 came around, Elliott was among the best players in his position. Zeke is bound to get an even bigger payday and by September 4th he’ll get his big payday in the form of a six-year, $90 million contract extension. That season he got paid, he had another great season as he was rushing for 1,357 yards.
However, in his last few seasons with the Cowboys, many wanted to go in a different direction as there was a downward trend in Elliott’s game. The emergence of a flashier option named Tony Pollard was also a factor. By the time Zeke’s days in the Big D were numbered, it was quite clear that the organization had misjudged the reverse market. From a max-hitting perspective, Elliott’s final season with the team came in 2022 at a price of over $18 million, with his closest season being Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings Still less than $12 million in financial hit. Interestingly, Elliott and Cook have been in a relationship with their respective teams since entering the league and both are looking forward to joining new teams for the first time in their footballing careers.
So where does that leave Dallas heading into 2023? It’s possible that these four running backs are behind the new Dallas team.
Tony Pollard
Tony Pollard is looking forward to taking over the reins of the group and filling the void left by the departure of Ezekiel Elliott. Many would say it’s too late, but at the same time the question remains how Pollard will handle the bulk of the load next season. Even after his first 1,000-yard rushing season under his belt, he finally recovered from the injury faux pas in a January postseason game against San Francisco 49ers as he broke his leg late in the first half. Sometime after the injury, concerns grew about how he would recover and if he would still be as explosive as before. The latest news looks more promising as he appears to be ahead of schedule and his explosiveness doesn’t seem to be stymied. Pollard’s healthy electrician will be key to the team’s success in 2023.
Ronald Jones II
Tony Pollard’s health is sure to make the prospects for 2023 more positive. With question marks still surrounding his health, it would be wise to have a proven backup to carry the mail if the No. 20 isn’t as healthy as the team would like him to be. This is where Ronald Jones II comes into the mix. A native Texan who played high school ball in nearby McKinney North, Jones has proven to be a player he can count on whenever his number is called. In the last three years alone, he’s won two Super Bowls, and while the 2022 season from a statistical perspective wasn’t his best, it was more about lack of opportunity versus lack of ability.
In the two seasons where he averaged at least 10 carries a game, Jones rushed for 724 and 978 yards respectively for 13 total touchdowns. Not only is he a quality ball carrier, he’s also a threat in the passing game. During those same two years where his rushing attempts were at his peak, Jones caught a total of 59 passes for 474 yards and a touchdown. The numbers don’t lie, he is an effective player when used correctly and as a backup Tony Pollard would be a welcome addition to the team.
Duos Phone
A third-string player in name only is where Deuce Vaughn slips between their appearances heading into the 2023 season. Due to his diminutive size, he lost the sixth round of this year’s draft. From a production and talent standpoint, he can be said to be a first-round player. His 1,558 yards in 2022 ranked eighth in the country, and the previous year, he rushed for 1,404 yards which ranked him ninth in the country. Being among the top ten rushers in consecutive seasons makes his talent undeniable.
He is also a good passing player in his last two seasons Kansas State, combined for 91 receptions for 846 yards. The Cowboys coaching staff must have some creative ways to get Vaughn out and use his skill set to the fullest. He’ll be a special team player at the start, but we expect him to have a role in this offense as a runner who changes the pace with good pass-catching skills. His dynamic play will make it difficult for coaches to get him off the field even though he has little size.
Hunter Lubeck
Last but not least, there is another newbie looking to make their mark in a different way. This player is Hunter Luepke. Luepke went undrafted but was a hot commodity once the draft was over and he ended up signing with Team America. The former North Dakota State Bison was listed at the linebacker position, but during his days at Fargo he was deployed in different ways. In each of the past three seasons, he carried the ball at least 84 times averaging yards per carry of six. In addition to a massive yards per carry average, he scored 23 touchdowns on the ground during that stretch as well making him a red zone threat.
Speaking of this red zone threat, it’s not quite as much of a ground game for him as it is in his last two years on campus, where he scored a total of seven touchdowns. It’s not just a threat to the recording, it also obscures the quality. He’s not the fastest player on the field, but he has enough speed to challenge defenses no matter where he is deployed. His 6-1 frame and 236 pounds make him the heaviest ball carrier on the list currently. As a result, he would be wise to deploy him in short yard situations as well as on special teams.
This quartet of Pollard, Jones, Vaughn and Luebeck quite has the makings of a quartet if properly deployed by the coaching staff. They all have different skill sets to bring onto the field and make them difficult for defenses to spot. We know the abilities of Pollard and Jones, and even though Luepke and Vaughn are rookies, both of them will make it difficult for coaches to get them off the field in their rookie seasons.