Dallas Cowboys: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time
11. player. 123. . Running Back. (2015–17). Darren McFadden
As the fourth overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, Arkansas running back Darren McFadden failed to meet his lofty draft expectations as a member of the Oakland Raiders. After spending seven injury-plagued seasons in Oakland, McFadden found his way to Dallas signing a two-year deal.
McFadden’s arrival happened the day after the Cowboys lost their former starting running back DeMarco Murray, who signed a massive five-year, $42 million contract to join their NFC East rivals in the Philadelphia Eagles.
But McFadden responded by posting the second-best season of his NFL career in 2015, racking up 1,089 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Unfortunately, his success didn’t translate to many wins for Dallas, as the Cowboys ended the year with a 4-12 record with starting quarterback Tony Romo only being able to play four total games due to a shoulder injury.
But the poor record did allow Dallas to selected Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, forcing McFadden to take a backseat.