Don't do it, Jerry. Please.
The Dallas Cowboys will have a new running back on the roster in 2025. The Ashton Jeanty buzz will only grow louder as we inch closer to the draft.
Whether it's Jeanty or another prospect, it is fair to assume the Cowboys will come away from the draft with at least one running back.
Having said that, we wouldn't rule out re-signing Rico Dowdle, who hits free agency at the perfect time after a breakout campaign that saw him rush for over 1,000 yards and rank among the NFL's best RBs with a 53.6% rushing success rate.
Dowdle has an opportunity to cash in for the first time in his career, but his familiarity with the franchise and new head coach Brian Schottenheimer make him a prime candidate to be back. It stands to reason that Dallas will want at least one veteran in the room and Dowdle fits that bill.
The free agent RB market is really weak this year compared to recent offseasons. It got slightly deeper on Friday following a surprise release, but Jerry Jones needs to stay far away.
Cowboys signing Raheem Mostert after Dolphins release would be a major mistake
The Dolphins announced they released veteran RB Raheem Mostert. Simply put, signing Mostert would be the equivalent of repeating the Ezekiel Elliott disaster last season.
It's fair to wonder if Mostert has a little bit more left in the tank relative to Elliott, who is three years younger but has nearly 1,400 more carries. Having said that, Mostert will turn 33 years old by the start of next season and has an extensive injury history. That includes missing four games last year with hip and chest injuries.
Mostert is just one year removed from a Pro Bowl season in which he accumulated 1,012 rushing yards on 4.8 yards per carry and a league-high 21 total touchdowns (18 rushing, three receiving). He averaged 3.40 yards after contact per rush and forced 54 missed tackles.
That efficiency disappeared this past season, as Mostert rushed for 278 yards in 13 games on a paltry 3.3 yards per carry. He averaged 2.74 yards after contact per rush and forced 21 missed tackles. He took a backseat to DeVon Achane and barely beat out 21-year-old rookie Jaylen Wright in carries.
There is still room for Mostert in an NFL backfield, but the Cowboys will need a dependable veteran like Dowdle to pair with a rookie. While Mostert has more juice than Elliott in terms of speed and lateral quickness, that isn't saying much. Both players are over the hill and should not be anything more than an emergency RB3 at this stage in their careers.
The Cowboys would be much better off re-signing Dowdle for $4-6 million per year than signing Mostert for the vet minimum.
