4 RBs Cowboys can trade for to complete backfield after Ezekiel Elliott signing

3. Khalil Herbert, Bears

It's hard to say if the Cowboys wanted to draft Roschon Johnson last year, but the Bears deprived them of that opportunity. The Texas product impressed as a rookie in limited opportunites, but he had to fend off Herbert and veteran D'onta Foreman for carries.

The Johnson selection and Foreman signing were puzzling given Herbert's breakout 2022 season. With then-starter David Montgomery battling injury, Herbert handled 129 carries for 729 yards. His 5.7 yards per carry was the most of any RB in the league and he finished third in yards after contact per attempt, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Herbert followed that up with just 132 carries last season, including six contests with less than 10 attempts even though his 79.4 rushing grade was the highest in the Bears backfield. Though Foreman is gone, Johnson will be back and the Bears signed D'Andre Swift to a three-year, $27 million contract with $15.3 million guaranteed.

With Swift stepping in as RB1 and Chicago likely to get Johnson more involved in year two, Herbert could struggle for work, making him a perfect buy-low trade target.