Dallas Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle an Underrated NFL Free Agent

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has been listed as an underrated NFL free agency signing.

Jan 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) runs the ball against the Washington Commanders during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has been listed as an underrated NFL free agency signing.

Ahead of the 2024 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys elected to sign running back Rico Dowdle to a one year deal that paid him $1.25 million. He finished the season with 235 carries for 1,070 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Now Dowdle is a free agent yet again and some believe he could be a very a underrated signing this offseason.

The Cowboys certainly got their money's worth out of Dowdle and teams are always looking for sustainable running backs. Those are part of the reasons why Dowdle made ESPN's "Underrated Players Who Could Be Steals" list.

"He isn't the most explosive back and won't break tackles the way elite runners do, but on the season, he ranked eighth among all running backs in success rate," Ben Solak wrote. "He is a grinder who only got to become that grinder late, both in the 2024 season and in his contract with the Cowboys, as he spent much of his first few years on the bench behind Elliott and Tony Pollard."

Solak mentioned that the Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos or the Los Angeles Chargers of they get outpriced for JK Dobbins would all be great fits for Dowdle.

Dowdle has been with the Cowboys since the 2020 season. They signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2020 following his college career at South Carolina. Dowdle has remained a consistent back for the Cowboys, but now it looks like the former Gamecock will be on the move during free agency.

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