Dallas Cowboys should be careful re-signing DeMarco Murray

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Feb 13, 2015

When it comes to running backs, one must be careful by not over committing to one that history shows that after a certain age, a decline in play happens. Of course that isn’t always the case but needless to say, it’s something to think about before shelling out big bucks and committing to any running back for the long-term. The Dallas Cowboys have a tough decision to make regarding their top running back in DeMarco Murray with determining if he’s worth investing in for many years to come.

Murry was hands down the best running back in the NFL last season as he led the league in many statistics. With 1,845 rushing yards, an average of 4.7 per attempt and 13 rushing touchdowns, Murray solidified himself as one of the primary components of the amazing season the Cowboys had last year. Make no mistake about it, Murray was indeed one of the big reasons why the Cowboys made a run in the NFL Playoffs and almost went deeper than many envisioned thanks to what he brought to the table.

More from Dallas Cowboys

Unfortunately when it comes to the business side of the NFL, it’s a cold one at that since regardless of how well a player performs in the past, it doesn’t always guarantee a big future contract. Truth of the matter is, Murray will be 27 years old before next season starts and spending a ton of money on running backs doesn’t always pay off for teams.

Look at the New York Jets last offseason when they picked up Chris Johnson who was 28 years old at the time. Needless to say, he ended up being nowhere near the caliber of his past as he only rushed for 663 yards last season and ran for only one touchdown.

With all eyes on the Cowboys putting more of a higher priority on securing wide receiver Dez Bryant before he enters free agency, Murray might not get the huge contract he’s looking for. Sure, he had a huge season last year but the focus for the Cowboys will be to ensure Bryant remains a Cowboy for the rest of his career. Even owner Jerry Jones said it will be a huge challenge to keep both Bryant and Murray on the roster come next season.

Statistically speaking, Murray rushed 436 times last season while playing in every game last year. It was the first time in his career he literally played in every game both regular season and postseason and history says he will start to regress come next year as his production will decline dramatically. It’s incredibly rare that a running back puts up the kind of numbers Murray did last season again the following year.

Overall, the Cowboys will regret any decision to sign him to a lucrative financial and long-term deal should that be the route they take. It makes much more football sense to keep Bryant before trying to secure Murray since they have other internal options to consider at running back should he leave via free agency. Options like Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams should do just fine should Murray leave considering how great their offensive line is.

Next: Could Adrian Peterson be the Dallas Cowboys’ RB in 2015?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Dallas Cowboys