Cowboys New Offense: Do RBs 'Not Matter' to Coach Mike McCarthy?

The Dallas Cowboys are revamping their offense under coach Mike McCarthy. What does his history say about the importance of running backs?

FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has never, ever said "the running game doesn't matter.''

But as we work to examine what his revamped offense will look like in 2023 for the "Green Bay Cowboys,'' we do get to wonder whether the question is ...

"Do the running backs matter?''

We have long believed - especially after the Cowboys themselves did the research that led to the decision to not re-sign 2015 NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray - that only in the rarest of cases should a team invest big bucks in a running back.

Maybe the all-time-giant deal (six years, $90 million) given Ezekiel Elliott in 2019 was that "rare case''; Dallas viewed Zeke as an instrumental part of a Super Bowl contender. And indeed, we will argue that had Dallas won a Super Bowl in the last four years, Elliott's deal would not be considered an "albatross'' as it presently is.

Our long-standing evidence of the interchangeable nature of the modern back: The Super Bowl-entry Kansas City Chiefs, who in the coach Andy Reid era (2013 to present) almost always feature a "just-a-guy'' at the position.

Who will be KC's featured back on Sunday against the Eagles?

Isiah Pacheco, a seventh-round rookie, with help from Jerick McKinnon, a 30-year-old journeyman.

McKinnon is playing on a second one-year contract worth $1.2 million. Pacheco's 2022 salary is $784,000.

It's more than theory: That - rather than paying Elliott his $16.7 million in 2023 and rather than paying Tony Pollard his franchise-tag number of $10.1 million - is how NFL teams beat the cap.

And now, to supplement our things, along comes Blogging the Boys’ Dan Rogers with a thesis statement and proof ...

"Running backs don’t matter to Mike McCarthy.''

McCarthy is this year putting both hands on his offensive steering wheel, parting ways with coordinator Kellen Moore as the head coach works to install his old Packers "West Coach Offense'' in Dallas. Rogers points out that McCarthy's Packers, from 2009 to 2018, featured eight different leading rushers in 10 seasons. To wit:

2018 Aaron Jones, 5th-round pick
2017 Jamaal Williams, 4th-round pick
2016 Ty Montgomery, 3rd-round pick
2015 Eddie Lacy, 2nd-round pick
2014 Eddie Lacy, 2nd-round pick
2013 Eddie Lacy, 2nd-round pick
2012 Alex Green, 3rd-round pick
2011 James Starks, 6th-round pick
2010 Brandon Jackson, 2nd-round pick
2009 Ryan Grant, UDFA

Remarkable.

Oh, and by the way: In seven of those 10 seasons, Green Bay was a top-10 offense. In eight of those 10 seasons, the Packers made the playoffs. And of course McCarthy had a Super Bowl win during that run as well.

In at least one case, the Packers got very lucky. Aaron Jones was but a fifth-round pick, and now at 28, he's still going strong. (Dallas can "beat the cap'' even by drafting a running back high; Texas' Bijan Robinson at 26 is a fun idea.) But mostly that is a list of "just-a-guys'' - albeit guys who catch the ball out of the backfield, which will be a key to this "new'' West Coast Offense.

Just like Reid's Chiefs.

In fairness, the Packers and Chiefs also have something else in common, something Dallas does not have: Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers might've been the best QB of his era during that 10-year run. And Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes might be the best QB of this era.

Dak Prescott isn't likely to match that.

Still, McCarthy wouldn't be installing this offense if he didn't believe Prescott could succeed in it.

The Cowboys say they want to retain Pollard (a Pro Bowler) and Elliott (under the terms of a re-do contract.)

"You always want Zeke,” COO Stephen Jones said. “But do the numbers work? You can’t define what Zeke does for our football team.”

There is some truth in that. Elliott has been a rather unique part of some good Cowboys teams. But in terms of "defining'' what a running back can do, and how much it should cost to have him do it?

All management at The Star needs to do is ask Mike McCarthy about that 10-year run.

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