Cowboys continue to torture fans with rumored running back interest

The Dallas Cowboys' running back room could be better than expected this season. That is obviously a glass-half-full mindset, but the reports from training camp have been positive.

While Ezekiel Elliott fumbled in a joint practice with the Rams, he looks trimmed down and more nimble than previous seasons. Free-agent signing Royce Freeman missed time with a groin injury, but he has drawn praise from Mike McCarthy and Stephen Jones.

Leading returning rusher Rico Dowdle has been the forgotten horse in the stable, but he's quietly gone about his business in Oxnard. Seemingly every Cowboys reporter believes that Dowdle has been the best RB in camp.

With that said, it doesn't take a football savant to realize that the running back room would benefit from a new addition. Elliott has no business starting in the year 2024 and Dowdle and Freeman at best would be an RB2 or RB3 on a playoff contender.

The good news? The Cowboys are keeping a "short list of external options" in case they need to make a move during preseason, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler (subscription required). The bad news? Their list of options are pretty terrible.

Cowboys Rumors: Dallas keeping an eye on RBs Dalvin Cook and Miles Sanders

"The Cowboys know they face questions at running back after losing to a bigger contract in Tennessee," writes Fowler. "They will monitor the Ezekiel Elliott-Rico Dowdle-Royce Freeman experience, while keeping a short list of external options, just in case. Carolina's Miles Sanders is on that list. And Dalvin Cook has shown interest in playing for the Cowboys."

If Sanders and Cook are the alternatives, the Cowboys might as well roll with their current running backs. Sanders is interesting, but he is riding on name value and draft status as a former second-round pick of the Eagles in 2019.

Sanders inked a four-year, $25.4 million contract with the Panthers last offseason. His first season was a complete disappointment. He posted career lows in carries, rushing yards and yards per carry and his 60.8 rushing grade ranked 48th of 49 qualified backs who logged at least 100 carries, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Additionally, Sanders ranked 39th in yards after contact per carry, 43rd in missed tackles forced and 38th in explosive runs. He ultimately lost the starting job to Chuba Hubbard. He's two years removed from making the Pro Bowl, but last season proved he was a product of the Eagles' prolific offense.

As for Dalvin Cook, what more can be said that hasn't been said already? He is arguably the worst running back in the NFL and the numbers prove it. Last season, he was bottom-two at the position in expected points added (EPA) per carry, first down percentage and yards created.

Cook flirted with the Cowboys after they hired Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator and signed former Vikings teammate Eric Kendricks. He is clearly open to joining Dallas, but that might do more harm than good to the rushing attack. The front office should steer clear.

More Cowboys news and analysis