Dallas Cowboys: Darren McFadden Provides Key Depth If Healthy

The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back Darren McFadden and, if healthy, he should provide a good backup option for Ezekiel Elliott in 2017.

The Dallas Cowboys have let a few veterans from their roster walk this offseason in 2017 NFL free agency. But one player who will be returning is veteran running back Darren McFadden, providing the team with an excellent backup option if he can stay healthy.

Two seasons ago, McFadden was a 1,000-yard rusher in his first season with the Cowboys, but missed all but four regular season games last season, rushing the ball just 24 times as a reserve on the roster behind Ezekiel Elliott and Alfred Morris. McFadden rushed for just 87 yards and scored no touchdowns. His 2015 season with the Cowboys as the starter was much more productive with 1,089 yards on 239 rushes and three touchdowns, with that being just the second time he rushed for at least 1,000 yards in a career.

McFadden has played a full schedule just twice in his career (2014-15), and twice (including last season) he’s played in single-digit games for a season. For his entire seven-year career, McFadden has rushed for 5,423 yards for 28 touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

Now with just Elliott, McFadden and Morris (though Morris could be traded) on the roster at running back, McFadden will be much needed for the Cowboys in 2017 in a reserve role, especially with Lance Dunbar leaving the Cowboys in free agency and moving along to play for the Los Angeles Rams.

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Signing a one-year deal could be a good news/bad news situation for the Cowboys and even for McFadden. If McFadden can have a productive, and better yet, a healthy season, that could mean a good contract for McFadden next offseason. If he doesn’t, well, it could be another one-year deal for McFadden next offseason as well.

One plus for McFadden is he can catch the football as well as rushing it. In 2015, McFadden caught 40 passes for 328 yards, averaging 8.2 yards per reception. Even last season with just three receptions on five targets, the veteran running back totaled 5.7 ypr in very limited play.

With Dunbar now gone from the roster, maybe the Cowboys won’t trade Morris anymore, but rather use both McFadden and Morris on the roster at the same time next season when playing in a reserve role behind Elliott. Both being veterans, they could both could prove to be very valuable on the roster in 2017, running the football, catching the football and as a pass blocker too.

Though this signing won’t make top headlines, adding a player like McFadden, who has had some success in the NFL and even with the Cowboys as a starter, is a signing that this franchise needs. Again, with McFadden, it all comes back to staying healthy and on the field. He has spent many games on the injured reserve during his stints in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Cowboys, but is effective when not on IR

Being a reserve behind Elliott, McFadden provides more veteran leadership on a still-young football team, plus he can still have a good game or two if needed in a pinch. What the Cowboys need from McFadden is a player who can be a solid third-down back and help gain a first down when called upon.

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McFadden doesn’t need to be a superstar running back anymore, but his role with the Cowboys should see him still be able to gain between 500-750 yards rushing, plus making at least 10-15 receptions. Again, this all comes back to being healthy, but he’s the depth Dallas needs if he’s able to go.

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