Dallas Cowboys: How Trey Williams could be a big factor as diamond-in-the-rough

Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line have been as prolific as they were last season, which has helped Dallas come in sixth in the league in rushing with a more than respectable 4.5 yards per carry. The issue is that the Cowboys have unsurprisingly failed to find a true feature back, as neither Darren McFadden nor Joseph Randle have been able to cobble together a yards per carry average of at least 4.2 despite the stellar blocking.

The Cowboys lack of a passing attack due to injuries to Tony Romo and Dez Bryant have hurt, but the running game issues are mostly down to the fact that the team just doesn’t have a standout rusher. Randle was the lead guy, but he’s no longer on the team. Lance Dunbar was a revelation as a change-of-pace back and looked like an even better third-down RB than big division signing Shane Vereen, but he went down with a season-ending injury early in the year. Knowing McFadden’s injury history, the Cowboys had to go out and make a move.

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Instead of signing a veteran like, say, Pierre Thomas, who joined the San Francisco 49ers following news of Reggie Bush‘s season-ending injury, the Cowboys have poached a rival player. I love how they are willing to find a diamond-in-the-rough to solve their problems, and they elected to sign Trey Williams from the Washington Redskins practice squad.

Williams had a pretty impressive preseason, but he essentially had no chance at cracking the Redskins roster. Not only is the duo of Alfred Morris and impressive rookie Matt Jones entrenched, but the Redskins were also high on Chris Thompson, who was finally healthy. Thompson’s talents and upside as a pass-catching back were never put in question, and that’s the type of role Williams was competing for.

That’s the type of role he’ll compete for now as the Cowboys No. 3 running back behind McFadden and Christine Michael, with the latter offering seemingly no pass-catching ability whatsoever. As long as he’s healthy, McFadden figures to hoard touches, and he’s racked up an impressive 17 catches in the last three games.

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Despite this, there’s still plenty of room for Williams to contribute, and the former Texas A&M star has the quickness, pass-catching ability, and underrated toughness to work his way into some touches. All the Cowboys are looking for is a player who can offer them versatility when called upon, and Williams’s possible upside as a return specialist is also worth taking a punt on.

These are the types of practice squad poaches that enterprising teams make, and the potential for this deal to pay big dividends is key for a Cowboys team that needs to combine as many sparks as possible and get a fire going. Bryant is back and Romo’s return isn’t far away, and Williams can prove to be a beneficial addition even after Romo returns, perhaps pending his special teams work.

Nov 1, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Darren McFadden (20) runs as Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) defends during the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

With sub-4.50 wheels and, again, exceptional quickness, Williams has the tools the Cowboys are looking for, and he could even prove to be a more than adequate replacement for Dunbar. He has a completely different skill-set from either McFadden or Michael, and that alone makes the 22-year-old back worth signing. Williams has serious big-play ability, which helps make up for his lack of size and yards after contact. He’s the type of weapon in space the Cowboys offense could use, and I wonder if playing behind that offensive line will allow him to be a big-play factor as a rusher in a change-of-pace role.

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Obviously, nothing is guaranteed with a total flier player like Williams, but there’s reason to believe that the upside and underlying talent here could prove to be something more tangible for the Cowboys organization. It’s hard to dislike little moves like this, because there’s no risk and possible reward, including possible reward over the course of the entire 2015-16 season.