Next Move for Cowboys at RB? Inside the Rumors - and ‘The DeMarco Rule’: FISH PODCAST
FRISCO - How do we know, as a matter of general policy, what the Dallas Cowboys' thinking it when it comes to adding a running back to the roster?
We know because we broke the story almost exactly nine years ago of the deep-dive study developed inside the organization that guided them to saying a difficult "goodbye'' to NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray.
In spring 2015, Murray's status was the motivation for a historical analysis of at what age running backs "hit the wall.'' It was long thought to be about age 30, but that was just NFL guesswork. The in-house study determined, though, that heavy-lifter star backs fall off a performance cliff at age 28.
And so Murray - who'd just rushed for 1,845 yards and 13 TDs - was allowed to leave. And the next year, having signed with the Eagles? He managed just 702 yards. And while he was later grabbed off the scrap heap by the Titans, where in 2016 he rushed for 1,287 yards, a year later he was done, starting 15 games but totaling just 659 yards.
So now come along big ideas. Saquon Barkley? Josh Jacobs? Derrick Henry?
And as Tony Pollard moves into free agency, Dallas is prepping for a change.
ESPN wants Dallas to spend here. Jacobs, per PFF, might cost $35 million on a three-year deal. There are other projections of Henry at $10 million APY. And Barkley might be the most expensive of all of them.
What should the Cowboys do at running back, as we have already reported their wish to possibly draft one in the middle rounds in April? That's up for debate.
What will they do? As we discuss in the Fish Report and the Fish Podcast, they have already developed a formula that should guide them. And if they delve outside that formula? They threaten to violate their own "DeMarco Murray Rule.''
