Cowboys RB Injury: Rico Dowdle Losing Chance to Help Back Up Ezekiel Elliott?

Dowdle was able to be active for 15 games in 2020 and special teams was his ticket then. His obstacles now?

FRISCO - In our recent visit with Dallas Cowboys COO Stephen Jones, he mentioned why the club didn't feel a great need to draft a running back.

Jones mentioned Ezekiel Elliott, of course.

And he mentioned Tony Pollard, of course.

And he made it a point to also put Rico Dowdle in the cluster.

Heady stuff for an undrafted kid who showed flashes last summer in the preseason before a season-ending hip injury was sustained in the third exhibition game.

And now Dowdle faces another challenge, as he's reportedly been sidelined after a knee scope procedure performed earlier this offseason. No minicamp for him this week. No chance to show how he can provide both running back help and special-teams help.

No chance, it seems, until training camp in Oxnard.

And at that point? How many running backs will Dallas retain? JaQuan Hardy is in play, and undrafted rookies Malik Davis and Aaron Shampklin are on the roster, as is second-year prospect Nick Ralston, the Argyle fullback who this offseason has been one of those "at-The-Star-every-day'' Cowboys.

And maybe the biggest threat: List Ryan Nall as a fullback if you wish. But he's actually a running back who can be a special-teams ace as he comes over as a free agent from Chicago.

Dowdle was able to be active for 15 games in 2020 and special teams was his ticket then. His obstacles now? While Dallas might like to get Pollard off of kick returns (as he is supposedly joining Zeke as an important component on offense), there is no reason to carve out a special job for somebody who specializes in that. So Nall - and the injury bug - are the two hurdles Dowdle is about to face.

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