Dallas Cowboys: Joseph Randle can make a difference in 2015

By Stephen Forsha | May 14, 2015

Let’s give Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle the benefit of a doubt headed into the 2015 NFL season. Randle has had past transgressions off the field while wearing the blue star on his helmet, but he deserves a second chance, just as some of his teammates have been given as well.

Randle can become a difference maker for the Cowboys offense with the departure of DeMarco Murray to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, but the current Cowboys running back (along with Darren McFadden) deserves his shot to carry the football on a more consistent basis before everyone makes a final judgment.

In 2014, Randle carried the ball just 51 times for 343 yards and three touchdowns. When he did get his opportunities to give Murray a rest, in 16 games, Randle averaged 6.7 yards per carry, with his longest carry being 65 yards in Week 17 against the Washington Redskins.

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Randle had a couple other big gains in ’14, including a 38-yard rush against the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks and a 40-yard carry against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He rushed for 50 or more yards in three games last season, with the most carries he had in a single game being 13 in Week 16 against the Indianapolis Colts. (He had just 37 yards in that game.)

What I like about having Randle on the roster is he can really be the “big play” player to go with McFadden, who will most likely be the No. 1 back entering training camp. Randle will get way more carries if the running back roster remains the same once Week 1 arrives, so I don’t expect his yards per carry to stay the same.

We all know this is finally Randle’s opportunity to see what he can offer the Cowboys in terms of rushing production. If he can’t produce, I have a feeling the Cowboys will look elsewhere before the season kicks off for the running production needed to replace the yards Murray had last season.

No matter what the Cowboys do this season at running back, there is no reason not to expect some type of platoon running game in ’15 because of the offensive line the franchise has built the past few years through the draft and free agency.

Also, don’t forget about Ryan Williams at running back sneaking in some of the carries as well. The running back job won’t be handed to Randle, so he’ll have to earn it, and with the numbers he had in very limited time last season, it will be fun to see if the now third-year pro can surprise a lot of folks and become a difference maker for the offense this upcoming season.

Next: Is Adrian Peterson the best option?

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