Dallas Cowboys: Is Adrian Peterson the best option?

As the 2015 season will kick off in four months, the Dallas Cowboys still have questions surrounding their running back position and will have these questions until one of two things occur.

The first thing that could occur for the Cowboys is once the preseason arrives, the current running backs on the roster make it a very easy decision and show everyone they are the right choice by the way they perform in training camp and the preseason.

Then there is the second route, a more risky choice but one with a lot of upside for a short period of time … the Cowboys trade for running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings.

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If the Cowboys would trade for Peterson (most likely a first-round choice) … would that be the best decision for Dallas?

Answering that question isn’t as cut and dry as it seems, because there is a lot on the line that could solve problems in the short and long term for a franchise who last won a Super Bowl when Bill Clinton was in office.

Having Peterson on the roster is a great positive for the next couple seasons because with the talent he brings to each game he plays in, and if he were to run behind the revamped and somehow even more improved Cowboys’ offensive line, who knows how many yards he could bring to the Cowboys?

Peterson could make fans say, “DeMarco who?” if he were to join the Cowboys this upcoming season via some sort of trade.

There is also the fact Peterson would make the entire team that much better as well.

Peterson would keep a lot of pressure off Tony Romo at quarterback; the receivers, especially Dez Bryant, would get better looks due to opponents being forced to pay attention to the run each play. The defense would get more breaks because the more a team runs the football, the more time ticks away.

Here is a look at the numbers of Peterson from 2013 and the current Cowboys running backs on the roster from last season:

• Peterson (2013, Vikings): 1,226 yards on 279 carries, 4.5 yards per carry, 90.4 yards per game, 10 touchdowns, 3 fumbles, 14 games.

• Darren McFadden (2014, Raiders): 534 yards in 155 carries, 3.4 yards per carry, 33.4 yards per game, 2 touchdowns, 16 games.

• Lance Dunbar (2014, Cowboys): 99 yards on 29 carries, 3.4 yards per carry, 6.2 yards per game, 0 touchdowns, 16 games.

• Joseph Randle (2014, Cowboys): 343 yards on 51 carries, 6.7 yards per carry, 21.4 yards per game, 3 touchdowns, 16 games.

Jan 11, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) runs past Green Bay Packers free safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21) in the fourth quarter in the 2014 NFC Divisional playoff football game at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Here are the numbers of last season’s NFL-leading rusher DeMarco Murray, who played for the Cowboys the past four seasons before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason:

• Murray (2014, Cowboys): 1,845 yards on 392 carries, 4.7 yards per carry, 115.3 yards per game, 13 touchdowns, 16 games.

With or without Peterson on the roster this upcoming season, it will be tough for any Cowboys running back to reproduce those numbers, but it is obtainable because of the talented offense line of the Cowboys. They have the offensive line to replace Murray, but are the running backs currently on the roster able to follow in the large footsteps Murray made last season?

If Peterson were on the Cowboys for the ’15 season, I believe he would be able to replicate or get near the stats Murray put up in ’14 for the fact he’s just as talented (even more) than Murray, plus he’s rested after missing most of last season due to off-the-field issues.

There is also the fact of the aforementioned Cowboys offensive line, because they are one of the most talented units in the entire league. Can they make any running back look good?

All of that brings us back to our initial question, that being: is Peterson the best solution for the Cowboys at running back?

My answer is yes.

When it come to a running back, and with the way the Cowboys are built, how Peterson keeps himself in shape, the future Hall of Fame running back would provide possibly three seasons at the position in Big D, right?

Even if the Cowboys were to trade a 2016 first-round pick for Peterson, the way he plays would make sure they got some good return on their investment, possibly a Super Bowl title with the way the current roster is built, especially on offense.

Peterson could be the missing piece.

What is your opinion on all of this? Should the Cowboys stay put, or is trading for Peterson still a realistic possibility?

The Cowboys will need to be careful in this entire situation, but if there is one team who could pull off a trade for Peterson and make it work, it is the Cowboys.

Next: Can Ryan Williams surprise in 2015?

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