Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones throws a thumbs up to fans before an NFL game.
Despite an already eventful offseason, there are still some major decisions for the Dallas Cowboys to make, especially at running back.
The commitment to RB Tony Pollard through the franchise tag set the tone for the offseason, which then featured the Cowboys releasing longtime RB Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas is expected to add a replacement, and ESPN insider Todd McShay believes that will happen soon.
During an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, McShay made his case. He believes that head coach Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys have such a strong desire to run the football that they could trade up for Texas star Bijan Robinson.
“I still hold this out, Dallas is obsessed with getting a running back that can be their guy,” McShay said. “Be a complement to Tony Pollard like they had with Zeke when Zeke was closer to his prime. Mike McCarthy is dying for a big power back like that. He wants to run the football… They want to be a run-based team, and they would love to bring the Texas star into Dallas and make him the star of their offense. Dallas is sitting at 26, and it wouldn’t shock me if they made a splash, jumped into the teens ahead of teams like Detroit and the Chargers, and went and got Bijan around 14, 15 or 16.”
It would be a sensational decision to trade up for an RB, but McShay’s logic is sound and could very much foreshadow how Dallas approaches the draft.
Robinson Stars with Texas
Any Cowboys fan paying attention this offseason should be familiar with Robinson, and any Lone Star-based fans likely knew of the Texas product before the draft cycle. That’s because 6’0″, 215-pound back has been a star with the Longhorns for the past two years.
Robinson flew out the gates in Austin with an impressive 703 rushing yards as a freshman, but Sports Reference shows that he took things to another level in 2021 and 2022. Robinson went for 1127 rushing yards and 11 TDs in 2021, and then 1580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last fall.
The 2022 campaign earned Robinson the Doak Walker award for best running back in the NCAA, as well as All-American honors and the unofficial title of No. 1 RB in the 2023 NFL draft. Dallas has an opportunity to add him, if they are likely willing to trade up for the ball carrier.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Speaks to Elliott
While Dallas seems focused on the future and replacing Elliott, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is still undergoing the adjustment of losing the RB that he first joined the team with in the 2016 NFL draft.
In a recent appearance on The Adam Schefter Podcast, Prescott made it clear that he would like to reunite with Elliott on the Cowboys if at all possible.
“That sure would be nice,” Prescott said, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “There are a lot of people not only on the team but in the organization that would love that. I’m sure Zeke would as well… Hopefully that could happen.”
It seems highly unlikely, but Elliott is yet to find a new team since being released from Dallas.