Cowboys next top RB must have these 2 key qualities
No one knows who the next lead RB will be for the Cowboys. Ezekiel Elliott left in 2023 and now Tony Pollard has left in 2024. Dallas re-signed Rico Dowdle this month but with under 100 career carries, he’s not expected to shoulder the bulk of the load this season.
Options are limited behind Dowdle. After averaging just 1.7 yards/carry and posting an abysmal -1.39 in RYOE, some are wondering if Deuce Vaughn’s 5-foot-6, 176-pound frame is even capable of serving a supportive role. Hunter Luepke has always enjoyed a relatively large degree of support from Cowboys Nation. Fans thirsty for a return to the glory days of Daryl Johnston lead the contingent but new fans are buzzing in his hive as well. Malik Davis also lurks in the shadows, but he’s never moved beyond a dark horse contender.
No matter how one looks at the Cowboys contingent of RBs, it seems Dallas is without a true RB1 candidate and will likely be on the hunt for one in the upcoming 2024 NFL draft.
Given the complementary pieces on the roster already and the top traits of successful RBs in today’s game, a couple key qualities stand out above the rest in Dallas’ search for the next great RB1: pass protection and short-yardage ability.
One of the key factors in determining whether a college RB will be given a chance in the pros is in their ability to pass protect. Every year talented rushers make the jump to the NFL only to be denied a chance in regular season action simply because the coaches couldn’t trust him to pick up blocks.
The most important player on just about every contending NFL team is the franchise QB, and if the RB can’t do his part in protecting that QB, the coaching staff will find someone else who can – even if it means that replacement RB is a less talented rusher.
There are ways to avoid pass protecting situations with RBs. Sneaking him out into the flat as a passing target is a good way to slow down blitzes and gain some valuable yards after the catch. But with Vaughn already on the roster in that role, adding another player like that is dangerous business.
The Cowboys need to add a RB1 who is just as capable in pass protection as he is catching passes against the blitz. It will keep defenses honest and allow play calling to remain versatile.
Short-yardage ability is the second important quality of any would-be addition. It was something the Cowboys lost when Elliott left the franchise and something that only got worse with the departure of Pollard.
Luepke has shown some potential in this regard, but his sample size is extremely small, and it comes with ball security questions that cannot be ignored. Luepke can still be Plan A in short-yardage situations heading into 2024 but the new RB1 has to be at least as proficient as Pollard was in these highly valuable play situations.
More often than not, it’s short yardage conversions that lead EPA gains on the ground each week. Five yards on 1st-and-10 is great but a two-yard run on 3rd-and-1 is generally the bigger EPA impact. Having an RB1 who can convert those without the offense signaling their intentions by swapping in Luepke is important for the offense’s disguise and adaptability.
These two traits may not be the flashiest, but a case can be made they are the most important given the circumstances in Dallas. Scout the NFL draft accordingly.
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