Just a day after the 2015 season finished, the Dallas Cowboys have already started looking at the future. While the team holds the fourth overall pick in the draft and the team’s Super Bowl odds hinge off Tony Romo’s back as well as his left shoulder, the Cowboys look to be a team that could go far in 2016. The returns of Romo, a fully healthy Dez Bryant, as well as Orlando Scandrick will be monumental to this team’s success.
Since naming Darren McFadden just before Week 8, the Cowboys saw a guy that really took advantage of his opportunities. McFadden finished the season with 279 rushes for just under 1,100 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 40 receptions for 328 yards. McFadden talked about his 2015 performance and what led to his success.
“It definitely means a lot,” McFadden said. “It’s a credit to the offensive line and the guys they have around me. Those guys did a heck of a job at the end of the day. I just want to go out there and keep grinding and get better each week.”
McFadden’s season only is more incredible considering he faced stacked defensive boxes. Imagine if McFadden got to play a full 16-game season with Romo as the starting quarterback. In the one game Romo started and finished with McFadden in the starting lineup, the 28-year-old back rushed the football 29 times for 129 yards. Talking to 105.3 The Fan on Monday, Stephen Jones had this to say about the running back situation and what the Cowboys will look into doing.
“Obviously he had a solid year for us,” Jones said on the G-Bag Nation show. “He’s under contract. We think he’ll be a big part of our plans next year and we’ll continue to look for some other backs to go with him. Hopefully Lance Dunbar will come back healthy as well.”
Considering McFadden has a long injury history and he’ll be in the last year of his two-year deal at the age of 29, the Cowboys will look to the draft to get their running back who will play a complementary role in 2015 and a take-over role in 2016. However, McFadden has made it known that he’s going to do whatever he can to improve in 2016.
“It definitely makes me more hungry,” he said. “You want to come back and top what you did this year. I’m definitely gonna come back more hungry and even better.”
*All quotes were maintained second-hand through Dallas News.
I'm happy for McFadden. He definitely is a team guy and unselfish. We definitely need to draft a back but I am glad that he will be here to contribute. Just wish we didn't waste all that time on Joseph Randle.
The time wasted on Joseph Randle sure does burn now. It still wouldn't have made the RB position valuable enough to keep DeMo another year. McFadden was a guy I was excited about from the day they signed him. His injury history notwithstanding. He stayed healthy this year and had very solid production that only means more considering the focus that opposing defenses were able to place on him and the running game without Tony Romo and a healthy Dez Bryant. It'll be another 1,400 APY next season if he stays healthy.
Take Elliott Ohio state guaranteed playoffs with that duo McFadden and Elliott. Imagine that JONES.
I would love to see Ezekiel Elliot in a Cowboys uniform, but he's not a top 5 pick and I think he'll be gone by the time they pick in the 2nd.
Think about this for a second: how about they address the RB position either in free agency or in the middle rounds of the draft, and get that Stanford runningback Christian McCaffrey in here in the 2017 draft?
I watched that guy run all over the Iowa Hawkeyes last Saturday like it was pee-wee football. That kid is going to be truly special.
just wait and get Alex Collins, might last until the 3rd round.