Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy announced last Saturday that the ‘Boys would be using a “running back by committee” system for the 2024 season. Even with high hopes for Ezekiel Elliott’s return from New England, McCarthy clearly stated his intentions to spread the ball around in the backfield.
Sharing running back duties with Elliott will be Rico Dowdle, who led the team with 242 yards and two touchdowns last season, along with Deuce Vaughn, former Rams RB Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, and undrafted rookie Nathaniel Peat. The Cowboys chose not to pick a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Dallas Cowboys Coach – “Seventeen Games is a Lot of Football”
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Considering the strength of the Cowboys’ passing game and overall offense in the last few seasons, it’s not surprising that McCarthy has chosen this approach. Without the need to rely on a star running back, the Dallas Cowboys can spread the ball around and hopefully keep their RB squad reasonably healthy for the entire season. McCarthy spoke about this to reporters on Saturday:
“Oh, absolutely. I have more experience with that,” he said. “I think it’s really the times that we’re in. … Seventeen games is a lot of football — that’s a big role for those guys. Don’t get me wrong, they’d all like to carry it like the old days and have those touches, but you want those guys fresh at the most important time of the year. So, that’s all part of planning and how you look at projections of play time.”
Ezekiel Elliott Returns
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Elliott’s return was quietly negotiated over the past few weeks, reportedly being finalized over a steak dinner. McCarthy expressed his confidence in Ezekiel Elliott’s prospects, stating:
“We’re running back by committee, but I think he’ll definitely play at the level that he’s played, I know, in my time here. I anticipate that. I don’t see any drop off in the way he moves. He’s in good shape. … he’s come in here and picked up right where he left off.”
Elliott saw success under McCarthy in their three seasons together, averaging over 900 yards per season from 2020-2022. In his one season with New England, Elliott ran for 642 yards and two touchdowns. Beyond his talent and experience, Elliott will undoubtedly bring leadership and cohesiveness to this relatively inexperienced squad.
Other Committee Members
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Rico Dowdle was re-signed out of free agency in March following the loss of Tony Pollard. At the time, Dowdle was considered the likely RB1 for the Dallas Cowboys. The fifth-year player out of South Carolina has proven to be reliable, if not spectacular, over the past four seasons.
Deuce Vaughn, the rookie out of Kansas State, will also be part of the squad. At 5’6″, 176 lbs., it will be interesting to see how this diminutive back will deal with 300-pound defensive linemen. We hope for his sake that the additions to the offensive line made during the 2024 draft will help to protect this little speedster.
Royce Freeman showed decent production with the Rams last year, clocking 319 yards with 2 touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Freeman will be bringing seven years of NFL experience to the squad.
Rounding out the committee will be Malik Davis, a third-year back from Florida who missed all of 2023, third-year man Snoop Conner out of Ole Miss who has only played in one game, and undrafted rookie Nathaniel Peat from Missouri.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out for the Dallas Cowboys, but with the help of a reinforced offensive line and a strong passing attack, the Cowboys running back committee may have a deep playoff run on their agenda for 2024.
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