3 best Cowboys players who never made a Pro Bowl
3. Darren McFadden
This falls more into the one-year wonder category and how the Pro Bowl selections are made today. Most of the players who actually make the trip for the event are alternates who are filling in for players either playing in the Super Bowl, injured or just plain do not want to go. Based on how the criteria was in 2015, Darren McFadden should have been named an alternate.
When the Cowboys signed McFadden in free agency, he was expected to back up Joseph Randle after DeMarco Murray left for rival Philadelphia. That proved true until Randle got injured before a week seven game against the New York Giants. McFadden started and racked up 152 yards and a touchdown. Dallas made him their feature back the rest of the season.
McFadden had his first 1,000-yard rushing season since 2010 with the Raiders. He had 1,089 yards and three touchdowns. His 1,089 yards rushing were fourth in the NFL as well as his 1,417 scrimmage yards. He was also in the top five for running backs that season in yards per carry and 100-yard games. Based on those numbers, he arguably should have been named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate when players began to decline their invitations.
The Cowboys had one of their worst seasons that year going 4-12 with Tony Romo and Dez Bryant injured for most of the year. However, McFadden became the main driving force of an offense that saw three other quarterbacks play during the season.
When Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore struggled, the offensive line and McFadden helped the offense move downfield. McFadden should have been in Hawaii that year with Sean Lee, Dan Bailey, Travis Frederick, Martin and Tyron Smith.