Has Lache Seastrunk Found A Home With The Dallas Cowboys?
Finding a home in the NFL hasn’t been smooth for the Dallas Cowboys newest addition, running back Lache Seastrunk. Unlike his new teammate and University of Baylor alumni, wide receiver Terrance Williams, Seastrunk didn’t stick on the roster of the team that drafted him. The Washington Redskins selected Seastrunk in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL draft. Seastrunk wasn’t Washington’s only new addition in 2014.
After a 3 – 13 season, Washington moved away from head coach Mike Shanahan and hired Jay Gruden. When Gruden selected Seastrunk, it was thought Gruden was offering an olive branch to his franchise quarterback Robert Griffin III. Griffin was texting his coach “suggesting” they draft Seastrunk. There were also reports that Griffin attempted to persuade Shanahan to draft his Baylor teammate, the current Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams.
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Seastrunk entered Washington’s camp fighting for a roster spot in a pool filled with Alfred Morris, Roy Helu Jr., Silas Redd, Evan Royster and Chris Thompson. Seven running backs for three roster spots and Morris was coming off back to back seasons of 1200+ rushing yards. The other two jobs went to Helu Jr. and Redd. Thompson was signed to the practice squad while Royster and Seastrunk were released.
Gruden’s picked Redd instead of Seastrunk because Gruden felt Redd was an all-around back that was able to run, catch and block. In battles at the bottom of the depth chart, Redd jumped ahead by playing well on special teams. Unlike Royster, Seastrunk found a second home in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.
Seastrunk faced more competition in Carolina than he did in Washington. The Panthers rushing attack featured veterans: Jonathan Stewart, DeAngelo Williams, Mike Tolbert, Chris Ogbonnaya and Fozzy Whittaker. Undrafted free agent Darrin Reaves was signed to the Panthers’ practice squad, making the roster for six games and starting once.
After Carolina, Seastrunk joined his third teams – the Tennessee Titans. The Titans released running back Chris Johnson after he rushed for 1,077 yards. They attempted to fill the void by signing Shonn Greene, Dexter McCluster, Leon Washington and drafting Bishop Sankey. Seastrunk made an impression and was signed to the practice squad. The Titans’ top three would be a hard shell to crack, even with the team finishing with a 2 – 14 record. Sankey was the first running back selected in the 2014 NFL draft, while Green, McCluster and Washington were a collection of proven veterans.
The Titans released Seastrunk on May 18, 2015. Credit to Seastrunk for staying in shape after being released by the Titans. The Dallas Cowboys signed him on June 8, 2015. Seastrunk may have bounced around the league, but I don’t think it was due to a lack of talent. Sometimes players are caught up in the numbers.
Speaking of numbers – The Cowboys front office has done a remarkable job of acquiring above average talent at bargain basement prices. Take a look at the salaries of the current running back committee.
2015 Dallas Cowboys RB Salaries | |
| Player | Salary Cap Hit |
| Lance Dunbar | $1,542,000.00 |
| Darren McFadden | $1,150,000.00 |
| Ryan Williams | $705,000.00 |
| Joseph Randle | $632,220.00 |
| Lache Seastrunk | $435,000.00 |
One look at the numbers should reveal why Dallas may be the best place for Seastrunk to find a home. He has a similar height, build and skillset as Dunbar, but Dunbar’s salary is three times more than Seastrunk’s. They are both on one year contracts and Dunbar’s contract isn’t guaranteed.
Remember, our quality players at bargain prices mantra. Seastrunk is going to get opportunities to compete against Dunbar. In Dallas, he’s not competing against a horde of running backs. He also has the advantage of being healthy – that’s been a problem with McFadden and Williams during OTA’s. If Seastrunk has expanded his skill set to include pass protection, receiving and special teams, Dunbar could be the odd man out.
After all, for a budget conscious front office, it’s never a good sign when the running back with the highest salary is the lowest on the depth chart. How many times have you picked a comparable product with the lowest price?
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