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Dallas Cowboys: Darren McFadden signing an effective move

By Stephen Forsha

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It seems the Dallas Cowboys will be having at least one replacement for running back DeMarco Murray, who signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.

That replacement is none other than former Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden.

Todd Archer of ESPN Dallas-Fort Worth.com reported the following on Friday:

"“The deal is worth up to $5.85 million and includes a $200,000 bonus, the source said.”"

I’m all for this … it is a smart, cost-effective move by the Cowboys, who are getting a running back who is just as injury-prone as Murray was at time during his career.

Jan 11, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) is tackled by Green Bay Packers defensive end Datone Jones (95) in the 2014 NFC Divisional playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Sure, there are the comparisons to Murray because McFadden is replacing a player who was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in his final season with the Cowboys this past season. A season where Murray rushed for 1,845 yards on 392 carries during the regular season.

Murray averaged 4.7 yards per carry in ’14, and for his four-year Cowboys career, he rushed for 4.8 yards per carry in the regular season, a total of 4,526 yards in 53 games.

The past two seasons (2013-14), Murray in 30 games rushed for 2,966 of those yards. His first two seasons with the Cowboys, Murray totaled 1,560 yards in 23 games (2011-12).

But Friday is about the present of the Cowboys, and that means we need to talk about what McFadden brings to the table for the Cowboys.

Since being drafted by the Raiders in 2008 (No. 4 overall) McFadden has had his share of injuries, but in 83 games played, he’s totaled 4,247 yards on 1,038 rushes for a 4.1 ypc average in those games behind a Raiders offensive line that just wasn’t that great.

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Today, McFadden joins a Cowboys team where he’ll be running behind one of, if not, the best offensive lines in all of the NFL.

One aspect is a major concern for this signing is this … Can McFadden stay healthy? If he can, the Cowboys have a steal with the embattled running back from the University of Arkansas.

What is most likely to happen with McFadden is he’ll be used in a running back system of sorts with the Cowboys, because I don’t believe for a single minute the Cowboys will enter the season with just McFadden as their lone, three-down running back, because that wouldn’t make much sense.

If McFadden can average his 4.1 ypc in ’15 and just stay on the field, he’ll make an impact for the Cowboys in some way. Also, there is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

McFadden has 211 receptions in his seven-year career, with 1,769 yards, for an 8.4 yards per catch average for his career. In ’14 with the Raiders (16 games), McFadden had 36 receptions for 212 yards (5.9 ypr).

This is an interesting signing to say the least, but it could be one that gives the Cowboys some type of breathing room in the back field while they groom a back, possibly from the 2015 NFL Draft. Can we say Todd Gurley from the University of Georgia or Melvin Gordon from of the University of Wisconsin?

Is this the best signing the Cowboys could have made? No, but it is a smart, solid signing that works, and it will help the franchise more than it will hurt them.

What are your thoughts on this signing? What will the Cowboys do next?

Next: Losing Bruce Carter hurts Cowboys defense

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