Will the Cowboys Lose Rico to Free Agency?

FRISCO – Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle finally seems to be realizing his potential as the starting running back on Mike McCarthy’s offense. … though there is speculation that he won’t be the top dog for long. After an injury-riddled start to his NFL career, it feels like for 2023 Rico has a clear runway, and it is allowing him to produce on the field, with Dowdle posting some of the best numbers of his career over the last two games. Rico totaled 112 yards and a touchdown against the New York Giants and, a week prior, rushed for 86 yards against the Washington Commanders.

For McCarthy, he knows the workload that Dowdle can handle after his injury history, and stated that due to his recent success, there will be more challenges presented to him. “I feel like I have a pretty good idea where you’d like him to be each and every week [with workload],” McCarthy said. “But it’s about opportunities and what you do with those opportunities. He’s doing a good job with his opportunities but just he needs to just keep working, he’s still relatively young at this.

“I love his run style, but he just needs to be as consistent as he can be and he’s going to be challenged more, too. Defenses are watching him more, he’s got more on tape so that’s always a challenge once you have some success.” So that’s one Dowdle challenge: With Rico’s emergence of sorts, the defense now will have to pay attention to what he and the Cowboys offense are doing on the field, and that means trying to stop him. Of course, prior to his emergence, that was still a priority for defenses, but Dallas’ run game didn’t pose the threat it does now.

After this year comes another Rico-related challenge: Do the Cowboys make him a signing priority in free agency? He will be 27 next season, and we recently projected him as being able to possibly double his present salary (of $1.3 million) by staying in Dallas … maybe as a backup runner. (Part of our speculation centers on the idea of the drafting of a new starter, with a mention of first-round star Ashton Jeanty attached. See below.) As Dallas can have $100 million in shopping room, there can also be free agency flirtations. In terms of “name” backs? Aaron Jones, Najee Harris and JK Dobbins (coming off another injury) are slated to be available. We don’t know what their price tags might be. The Cowboys need to find that out … while also determining just how much “better” they might be than Rico, if at all.

For now, Dowdle is doing the most with his opportunity, having beaten out Ezekiel Elliott, Deuce Vaughn and Dalvin Cook for the starting role. But as the saying goes, getting to the top is hard, but staying there is harder. Rico is the undisputed starter for the Cowboys. Now he must push on and finish his career-best season in the best way possible. … for his team and himself now … and for maybe more of the same come next offseason when free agency hits.