Dallas Cowboys: 3 Disappointments from Preseason Week 4
By Randy Gurzi
2. Darius Jackson, Running Back
The second time may not be a charm for running back Darius Jackson. Originally drafted by Dallas in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Jackson quickly became a fan favorite. Highlights of his powerful runs at Eastern Michigan began making the rounds and the idea of pairing him with No. 4 overall pick Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield seemed like a dream scenario.
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By December of that season, he was waived by Dallas and claimed by the Cleveland Browns. He spent all of 2017 on their injured reserve before finally being cut in May of this season. Dallas decided to bring him in for another trial.
Jackson started out the preseason out with a decent 21-yard performance in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. In Week 2, he was much better and had fans once again wanting to see more of him.
The young back had 42 yards on just six carries and another 22 yards through the air against the Bengals. This week though, he had his chance to prove he deserves the No. 3 running back spot over rookie Bo Scarbrough.
That didn’t happen as Jackson managed just one yard on five carries. It was a far cry from what was expected and could lead to him looking for a new job when the 53-man roster is announced.