With Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard both long gone, the Dallas Cowboys made a move Tuesday to fill the gaping hole in their backfield.
The team brought in a former Denver Broncos starter that is entering his seventh NFL season to compete for the team’s opening rushing role with Rico Dowdle, who currently holds the No. 1 spot on the Dallas Cowboys depth chart.
According to reports, the team agreed on a one-year deal with Royce Freeman, a former third-round pick out of Oregon. Freeman started eight games for the Broncos as a rookie in 2018, rushing for 521 yards and five touchdowns on 130 carries.
Denver cut him after 2020, and he has played for three other NFL teams since.
Adding Freeman Does Not Mean Dallas Cowboys Won’t Seek RB in Draft
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The Dallas Cowboys have traditionally featured a strong rushing attack. With the likes of Tony Dorsett, Herschel Walker (before he collapsed following a trade to the Minnesota Vikings, and Emmitt Smith making great names for themselves in the blue and silver. In recent seasons, the team has boasted Elliott and Pollard.
However, Elliott left for the New England Patriots after the 2022 season as Pollard unseated him as the team’s primary rusher. Pollard himself departed for the Tennessee Titans this spring after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons — last year being his first as the undisputed starter.
The defections left the cupboard bare behind quarterback Dak Prescott. But the Dallas Cowboys reportedly don’t view Freeman as the heir apparent to Pollard and will still seek a rookie rusher in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
No ‘Can’t Miss’ RB Prospects for Dallas Cowboys to Choose From
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While the 2023 NFL Draft featured a number of top rushing prospects, there are no sure-fire first-rounders for the Dallas Cowboys to reach for this time around.
The good news for owner Jerry Jones’ team is that there are still a number of solid running backs that should be available on the second and third day. The Dallas Cowboys do not have an abundance of picks, however, with just one selection in Round 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. The team has no fourth-round slot at this time, but does have two seventh-round selections.
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Tom Carothers is a sportswriter with more than 20 years of experience covering sports at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. Still longing for the return of his Minnesota North Stars, he has a high pain tolerance as a big fan of the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Browns, and Tottenham Hotspur.
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