In his first year on the job, offensive coordinator Klayton Adams helped transform the Dallas Cowboys' rushing attack from one of the NFL's worst into a top-10 unit.
Of course, Javonte Williams also played a massive role in the turnaround, finishing ninth with 1,201 rushing yards and 4.8 yards per carry, as well as fourth in yards after contact per carry (3.56) and seventh with 54 missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus ($).
The only problem? The Cowboys didn't have a reliable backup to keep Williams fresh late in the season. While he continued to run hard, he didn't have the same juice, averaging 4.3 yards per tote over the final five games. A dependable RB2 would have made all the difference, and Dallas hopes that Jaydon Blue wins the job this summer.
With Blue having a lot to prove, ESPN's Matt Bowen circled veteran Nick Chubb as a logical fit with the Cowboys.
"A veteran grinder at this point of his career, Chubb could provide value as the Cowboys' No. 2 or No. 3 option behind starter Javonte Williams. Chubb can still secure catches on swings and checkdowns in the passing game, but he should be viewed as an early-down option who can use his power and vision in short-yardage situations..."
Nick Chubb makes too much sense for the Dallas Cowboys
The RB market is anything but flush with talent. Other than Chubb, some of the top available players include Joe Mixon, Najee Harris, Antonio Gibson, and Alexander Mattison.
Chubb is the class of that group and exactly what the Cowboys need behind Williams, even if he doesn’t have much explosion left at this stage of his career. As Bowen noted, the four-time Pro Bowler knows how to navigate traffic and maximize what’s blocked in front of him.
Coming back from a brutal run of injuries suffered in 2024, Chubb was more efficient than the Texans' leading rusher Woody Marks last season, averaging 4.2 yards per carry to Marks' 3.6 and totaling 28 forced missed tackles to Marks' 30 despite being out-touched 229 to 136.
The former 1,500-yard rusher may be nearing the end of his career, and injuries have sapped a lot of his explosiveness, but he can still bring value as a complementary back.
Chubb makes too much sense for the Cowboys, but that doesn't mean they should sign him this second. The top priority should be to give Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah as many reps as possible behind Williams through the summer.
Given his age and injury history, Chubb doesn’t need a full training camp. Signing him now would take valuable carries away from Blue and Mafah. Let the second-year backs force the decision. If both shrink in the spotlight, Dallas should move quickly to sign Chubb, assuming he’s still available. If one breaks out, there’s no need to sign him at all.
Chubb is a great fit, but only as a contingency plan. If another team signs him, that's OK. The success of the run game isn't contingent on a 30-year-old back.
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