Jerry Jones loves Zeke too much to do this.
If you told us in early October that the Dallas Cowboys would have a 1,000-yard rusher, we would have laughed in your face. With three games left, Rico Dowdle needs just 120 rushing yards, or an average of 40 per game, to reach the milestone.
At the rate Dowdle's going, he could crack 1,000 yards as soon as Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This is what many Cowboys fans envisioned for Dowdle back in training camp, but the team insisted on deploying a committee with Ezekiel Elliott to start the season.
Since committing to Dowdle as their lead back, Elliott's been invisible. Before Sunday's win in Carolina, when he rushed nine times for 30 yards, Zeke hadn't received more than six carries in a game since Week 8 - when Dowdle sat out with an illness.
In a perfect world, Dowdle shares the backfield next year with an impact rookie. There's no room for Elliott, obviously, but the RB3 role might be up for grabs.
A candidate for that job was just released by the two-time defending champs.
Cowboys should sign RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was cut by the Chiefs
The Chiefs waived Clyde Edwards-Helaire on Monday. A first-round pick in 2020, Edwards-Helaire accumulated 1,100 scrimmage yards as a rookie, but he had since fallen out of favor under Andy Reid due to the emergence of Isiah Pacheco and most recently, Kareem Hunt.
After contributing to LSU's historic championship run in 2019, Edwards-Helaire seemed primed to have a successful pro career. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to a combined 20 games in his second and third seasons, which allowed Pacheco to take over the backfield.
Most recently, Edwards-Helaire suffered from PTSD and cyclic vomiting syndrome. The Chiefs placed him on the non-football illness list before the season and he hasn't appeared in a game. It seems, though, that he is over the worst of it. If that is the case, the Cowboys should give him a call.
Edwards-Helaire is absolutely a better runner than Elliott and he's a better complement to Dowdle. The 25-year-old owns a respectable 68.5 rushing grade for his career, per Pro Football Focus. He's not great running between the tackles, but Dowdle has proven plenty capable in that regard.
With 89 career receptions, Edwards-Helaire would step in as the best pass-catching back on the roster. His ability to make defenders miss in the open field would fit well alongside Dowdle's punishing running style.
A RB room featuring Dowdle, a day two pick and Edwards-Helaire would give the Cowboys a backfield to be trifled with. The front office should cut Elliott and sign Edwards-Helaire with the intention of having him tryout for a spot on next year's roster.
Unfortunately, Jerry Jones has too much adoration for Elliott to even think about cutting him with three games left in the season.
