Cowboys news: Top 10 running backs the Cowboys will face this season

Rank’Em: What’s The NFL’s Pecking Order At RB? - Staff, Dallas Cowboys

The Mothership ranks the top running backs the team will face. While players like Saquon Barkley, Todd Gurley, and Alvin Kamara are atop the list, there are some other really tough RB’s the team will square off against this year.

8. Kerryon Johnson

Played ten games in his rookie season before it was cut short by a knee injury. Will surprise you with his start/stop quickness. Looks like he might be stopped then he hits another gear. Showed the ability to outrun angles from tacklers. Gets through the hole quickly. Runs upright but when he has to finish he gets his pads low. Punishing runner in the open field. Can move the pile forward. Comfortable playing sideways. Did that a bunch at Auburn. Takes the inside handoff and finds the crease. Staff creates plays for him in the passing game. Haw seen him line up as a receiver and they throw him the ball on the slant. Reliable receiver.

How the Cowboys have already given up their leverage if Ezekiel Elliott holds out of training camp - Kevin Sherrington, SportsDay

Of course, one of the team’s biggest obstacles at running back might be a little closer to home.

Question: If Zeke did hold out, which side would crack first?

Sherrington: The Cowboys have already said they want to re-sign him, so they’ve given up their leverage. They just don’t want to do it right now. They’ve got other guys to sign first. Dak Prescott, for instance. I’m a little surprised to see Zeke do this. The Cowboys have stood by him throughout all of his off-field problems, and they’ve got to get these other signings done.

As noted, they’ve also said they want to sign him long-term, which shouldn’t be a given. Even great running backs aren’t necessarily long-term propositions. If you need an example, check out the deal the Rams gave Todd Gurley and ask if they’d like that back now that knee problems have increased. Zeke may be looking at this the same way. He may believe he could be in the same boat as Gurley and want his money now, while he’s still healthy. Not a hard argument to see.

The Latest Buzz Around Every NFL Team as Camp Season Nears - Gary Davenport, Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report takes a look around the league and shares what’s buzzing around each team, and of course - it’s all about Zeke these days in Dallas.

Tailback Ezekiel Elliott is no doubt a critical part of the Cowboys offense. It’s no coincidence that both times Elliott has led the NFL in rushing, Dallas won the NFC East. However, Elliott is well aware of his value to the team as well, and he’s made it no secret heading into his fourth season that he wants to be compensated for that importance.

According to PFT’s Mike Florio, Elliott has stated privately that unless real progress is made toward a long-term extension that makes him one of the league’s highest-paid RBs, he won’t report to training camp. It’s a tricky situation—for both sides. The Cowboys have more pressing extension situations to consider—both quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper are set to hit free agency after the 2019 season.

Also, if Elliott doesn’t report to camp by August 6, he won’t accrue a year of service toward free agency. The running back position may be devalued in today’s NFL, but it’s still in the best interests of both sides to get some sort of compromise worked out—quickly.

Tony Pollard is Just What the Doctor Ordered in Dallas - Matthew Lenix, Inside The Star

If Elliott did holdout, at least the team has a pretty good option to take on some of the workload.

If you’re looking for a dynamic player maker with the ability to take it to the house at any given moment, Pollard is your man. The former Tiger averaged a touchdown every 13 touches in college. That’s an absolutely insane statistic when you think about it. He also tied an NCAA record with seven kick returns for touchdowns. Long story short, he can get you six points at the blink of an eye. The versatility in his game is outrageous and undoubtedly the reason why he was drafted.

In addition to running for 941 yards on 6.8 yards per rush, he also had 104 receptions for 1,292 yards. New offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has to be salivating about the possibilities with his new toy. Having a running back that can not only carry the load as a runner but also line up at receiver keeps the defense honest. You never know what angle the offense is going to come from.

5 training camp storylines to follow as Cowboys try to end Super Bowl drought - Jon Machota, SportsDay

The Cowboys have had a great offseason, but there is still one thing that could end up haunting them as Machota identifies five storylines to watch during training camp.

5. Backup QB: Most fans probably can’t name more than a handful of current NFL backup quarterbacks. Generally speaking, if a team’s starter goes down, the season is lost. Philadelphia, however, proved two seasons ago that a backup QB could step in and lead a team to a Super Bowl win. The Cowboys’ backup quarterback is expected to be either Cooper Rush or Mike White. Both struggled during the offseason before having their best practices on the final day of minicamp. Their performances during training camp and the preseason will likely determine who backs up Prescott. If both are terrible, the Cowboys might be forced to shop for a veteran to sign or trade for before Week 1.

Dallas Cowboys: QB2 Mike White missing just one thing - Reid Hanson, Fansided

Can second-year player Mike White do anything to alleviate that worry at backup QB?

Mike White remains the Dallas Cowboys best hope. He has the arm talent and smarts to get it done. But there’s one thing wrong – the game is still moving too fast for him.

Virtually every rookie experiences this when they transition to the pro game. The jump from college is a big one. EVERY player in the NFL was a star in college. The game moves at light speed and rookies have to adjust to the new speed. Unfortunately, not every player successfully makes that transition. That’s where Mike White is now. Often referred to as “thinking too much”, White has been slow on his reads, late with his release, and hesitant to do just about anything. Mike White has the talent needed to play in the NFL, but if he can’t catch up to the speed of the game, none of it will matter.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones headlines group of Pro Football Hall of Fame presenters for the Class of 2019 - John Breech, CBS Sports

Guess who’s set to take the stage again in Canton?

Jones will serve as the presenter for Gil Brandt, who is one of two people entering the Hall this year as a contributor. Brandt was one of the first employees the Cowboys hired during the team’s first year in 1960 and he ended up staying with the team until 1988.

When it comes to presenting Hall of Famers, Jones seems to be a popular pick. The Cowboys owner will be presenting someone for the fourth time this year. Jones also presented Cowboys greats Michael Irvin, Emmitt Smith and Larry Allen.

Dallas Cowboys set 2019 Oxnard training camp schedule - Tom Ryle, Blogging The Boys

BTB has got you covered for all the important dates you need to know once training camp gets here. Mark your calendars!

This is a bit of a different year, as the second preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams will be held at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, with the Oxnard portion of camp ending before they fly west. It should be a nice trip for the players, who will undoubtedly get in a little beach time before they play and then fly back home. The schedule for the Frisco portion of camp following that has not been announced.