There was fairly a bit remodeled Mike McCarthy’s quotes on the NFL Mix. “I wish to run the rattling ball so I can relaxation my protection,” he advised reporters in March. However whether or not the Dallas Cowboys will really grow to be extra run-heavy in 2023 stays a thriller for now. We’ll all discover out for certain in September once they lastly take the sphere in a regular-season sport.
Dallas Cowboys RB Depth Chart
Working the ball extra just isn’t the reply. When the Cowboys’ win likelihood was between 20-80%, their first-down passing fee ranked twenty sixth within the NFL. They ran the ball extra usually on first down in 2022 than they handed it.
Their 0.136 dropback EPA on first down ranked eighth in these cases. Their -0.056 dashing EPA ranked 14th. Not solely have been the Cowboys higher at passing on early downs relative to their dashing assault, however the precise worth dwarfed their run sport.
McCarthy cited turnovers and resting the defenses as causes to run the ball extra. However Dallas was first in 2021 and second in 2022 in turnover differential.
Public declarations in March imply nothing, notably when half of what was mentioned isn’t rooted in any form of actuality. However when Pollard just isn’t on the sphere, who might be receiving the snaps in his place?
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Tony Pollard is coming off a severe lower-leg fracture a season in the past. Nevertheless, bones heal, and there may be far much less to fret about in the long run with a fracture than a ligament tear.
Pollard has been one of the crucial elusive and explosive runners within the NFL since 2020, though it’s been in a comparatively gentle position in comparison with the league’s different elite runners.
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After deciding to half methods with Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys have been busy on the operating again entrance. They added Hunter Luepke as an undrafted free agent, exhibiting the world they might be reimplementing the fullback to the run sport in 2023. In addition they added Ronald Jones on a one-year, $1.5 million deal and drafted Deuce Vaughn in Spherical 6.
That’s along with Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle, every of whom has their followers throughout the group and Cowboys media. In different phrases, the Cowboys have choices on the RB depth chart.
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There might be some very fascinating choices on the ultimate cutdown days and who will land on the apply squad. There are three reliable tight ends who will make the roster, and Dallas has finished a variety of work with Sean McKeon all through the previous few seasons as effectively. Add in the potential of a fullback, and issues get actually fascinating at RB.
Jones struggled to get on the sphere for the Chiefs a season in the past behind rookie seventh-round decide Isiah Pacheco — and for good cause. Pacheco stole the beginning job and by no means relinquished it. However Jones remains to be solely 26 with below 600 profession touches. If he can present some big-play juice, he may very effectively find yourself being the secondary choice to Pollard.
Vaughn has essentially the most hype within the group. Nevertheless, he’s a measurement outlier who should be an exception to the rule, simply as his mentor Darren Sproles as soon as was, if he’s going to be a profitable NFL participant.
“I bought to fulfill Darren my sophomore yr at Kansas State, and he’s been somebody that’s been in my nook ever since,” Vaughn mentioned. “Any time I might be in the identical sentence as a man like Darren Sproles, a man that performed 15 years on this league, prime 5 in all-purpose yards on this league at my measurement, that’s one thing I take critically each single day. I’ve been making an attempt to select his mind going into this rookie camp and going into OTAs about what I can do to provide myself an edge.”
It’s the primary time in a very long time that Dallas’ depth chart on the place just isn’t comparatively set in stone. Throughout an offseason the place the Cowboys made a number of key strikes to enhance at vast receiver and cornerback, in addition they gave themselves loads of choices on the RB place for the 2023 NFL season.
