The Dallas Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott this offseason. Zeke has led the team in rushing in six of the past seven seasons, but unfortunately, the year he wasn’t was the last season. His gradually decreasing number of yards per carry reached a career-low of 3.8, marking the end of the streak for him in Dallas.
Tony Pollard is now the new mayor in town, however, the team did not sign him to a long-term deal. Instead, they marked him for $10.1 million in 2023, leaving his future with the Cowboys in limbo.
Finally, in a draft rich in RB running backs, the Cowboys didn’t select a new ball carrier until the 212th pick when Deuce Vaughn was the 14th overall draft pick.
In short, the Cowboys have a lot of back-to-back questions as they go into the new season, but today, we’re going to do our best to set some expectations. Here’s a breakdown of the four main appearances on this team and what we’re likely to see in 2023.
The Cowboys liked Pollard from the start, and selected him in the fourth round despite him being a backup in Memphis. He has been a perfect complement player to Elliott over the years, but he has now emerged as the lead dog because producing runs is better with the ball in his hands. In fact, Pollard led the Cowboys in rushing despite not leading in rushing attempts. This is a feat that has only been done once before on a Cowboys team and that was over 50 years ago.
What he brings to Dallas: Make no mistake about it, Pollard brings a blast to the cowboy game. He’s out of range, he’s hard, and he has the speed of home runs to empty the bases.
What could be holding him back: If the Cowboys plan to increase his use after Elliott’s departure, it could mess with his overall efficiency. It’s never been a factor in coming back, and the coaching staff seems to feel like it loses some juice when overused.
The Cowboys invested a low-cost free agent in Jones hoping to see a player closer to the player who led power hero Tampa Bay Buccaneers at running back in 2020 in place of Kansas City’s 18-touch man last season. This makes Jones a bit of an enigma because he didn’t fit well on a high-volume passing team like the Chiefs that already had a few quality players on the roster. With Dallas, he fits more as an early powerhouse to complement Pollard, and it’s not hard to see this marriage working great because there are attributes that make this 38th overall pick from USC a nice addition to the team.
What he brings to Dallas: He’s a north-south runner who keeps his legs swinging. His ability to go from speed to power to speed has generated some nice plays on tape. With Elliott now gone, Jones was the cowboy comeback with the most pop hits.
What could be holding him back: A lack of focus, inability to execute, and difficulties with pass protection could limit his chances if these things persist.
An uncertified free agent a year ago, Davis saw action in dozens of games last season, though most of those picks came on special teams. The rookie saw some action on the court when both Zeke and Pollards missed various games throughout the year as well as two garbage-time wins against Minnesota and Indianapolis. Davis adds an unexciting but effective runner to the group. The experience he gained last year combined with another year of camp will continue to slow things down for him and help with his mental processing. But while he will have his moments to impress, he will never be a player to get away from the job.
What he brings to Dallas: He is a versatile knife player who can catch passes, run between barriers and is strong at pass protection. With a year of special teams experience already under his belt, his value to the team extends far beyond his roster appearances.
What could be holding him back: Although he is good at a lot of things, he does not excel in any area. He doesn’t have the home-running speed, or the turnaround in creating things on his own, and he’s relatively easy to bring down.
Small stature for this Kansas State The star’s comeback made him drop all the way to the sixth round of the draft, but that doesn’t make his college highlights any less impressive. He has vision and a relentless drive to conquer the running lanes. He can catch passes and has a nose for the end zone. His body in action shows he can get it done, but the lack of super speed and difficulties in obtaining the blitz can limit his chances.
What he brings to Dallas: He is a skilled runner who can slip through wrinkles. In a way, it’s like a watered-down stretch for Pollard who can sprinkle some plays on this offense.
What could be holding him back: measuring. It will always be at its size. Vaughn will need to show that the NFL’s fastest, toughest defenders won’t turn against the skills that made him a wonder in college.
Tony Pollard
He should see a slight increase in use with his uniform gone but don’t expect the team to go overboard because they don’t want him to wear out. His efficiency should go down, but his trips to the end zone should increase with a few extra goal line chances.
prediction: 226 carries, 1,040 yards (4.6 yd), 12 TDs
Ronald Jones
Jones has the opportunity to get the lion’s share of Zeke’s business in a running game with Pollard. They are the most experienced running back team behind the TP and have to at least get short yardage and goal line work.
prediction: 132 carries, 580 yards (4.4 yd), 6 TDs
Malik Davis
This decline may come as the group’s biggest surprise as he could slip into the role of RB2 if things don’t work out with Jones. He’s a solid player with some experience and that might be good enough for a role on the field.
prediction: 68 carries, 347 yards (5.1 ypc), 3 TDs
Duos Phone
Expectations are high for this late starter, but it’s important to stay grounded because Vaughn has a lot of factors working against him. Unless he picks things up quickly, don’t be surprised if he rides pines for the majority of the season.
prediction: 38 carries, 161 yards (4.2 yds), 1 TD