Cowboys free agents: Team agrees to terms to bring back Rico Dowdle
The departure of Tony Pollard in free agency left the Dallas Cowboys with a question mark at running back. Now they have come up with a solution, and while it is not the kind of splashy move that fans keep yearning for, it is a smart one. It was announced on Monday the Cowboys are re-signing Rico Dowdle.
After fighting injuries early in his time with Dallas, Dowdle finally was able to contribute in 2023 when Ezekiel Elliott was no longer with the team. He moved to the RB2 role behind Pollard, and while he only amassed 361 yards in the 16 games he played, he had a respectable 4.1 yards per carry average. He also chipped in 144 yards on 17 catches, for a rather nice 8.5 yards per reception.
This is shaping up to be another year when the Cowboys are going the, um, frugal route in free agency, and while the terms have not been released, Dowdle seems sure to fit that profile. Most importantly, the staff has a pretty clear idea what they have in him, and were able to secure a new starting running back without having to bid in the open market. This does not preclude them from using a draft pick to add another ball-carrier, but with the lack of draft capital this year, it takes the pressure off thinking about using a premium pick. They will more likely look for an addition on day three of the draft to develop.
For some time, it looked like Dowdle would never get a real chance to shine, but this looks like his time has come. It is good to see his hard work pay off, and we hope he has an excellent year.