Patriots Could Land Cowboys Playmaker

The New England Patriots could land this Dallas Cowboys playmaker during the NFL offseason.
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New England Patriots are in dire need of offensive weapons this offseason, and while the crux of the issue is at wide receiver, the Patriots could also use some help in their backfield.

Rhamondre Stevenson was a big disappointment for New England in 2024 after signing a contract extension, and Antonio Gibson is certainly not an every down back.

The Pats have plenty of cap room to pursue another option in free agency, and Drew Velez of the Pick a Side podcast feels that Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle would represent a great fit.

"I do have the New England Patriots as a landing spot for him," Velez said. "He showed that he can be a hard-nosed runner that can run between the tackles, he can run outside. He's a strong guy and he can be a three-down type back."

Stevenson had quite the fumbling issue this past year, which is another reason why Velez thinks Dowdle makes sense for the Patriots.

"They are looking for a guy that has ball security," Velez said.

Dowdle just had a breakout campaign with the Cowboys, racking up 1,079 yards and a couple of touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also caught 39 passes for 249 yards and three scores.

The question is whether or not this was a one-off year for the 26-year-old.

Dowdle joined Dallas as an undrafted free agent back in 2020, but did not begin to earn any legitimate playing time until 2023, when he rushed for 361 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 4.1 yards per attempt.

If New England is able to land Dowdle on a relatively affordable contract, it would definitely be a great addition, but the Pats should probably be careful overspending on a halfback who has had one good season. Especially given their offensive line issues.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


Published
Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.