Darren McFadden was fourth in the league in rushing this season. Darren McFadden started just ten games for the Dallas Cowboys in 2015.
If you could go back in time to tell a large group of Cowboys fans, known as Cowboys Nation, that the above two statements would be true then you could have saved a 2014 offseason full of absurd speculation about free agent running backs.
They have shown as much interest in Ray Rice as they have shown in having me play RB. https://t.co/VtYZ06TLRG
— Cowboys Nation (@CowboysNation) October 14, 2015
@CowboysNation have you gotten any questions asking for Cassel to be the starting running back yet?
— Sean Martin ✭ (@SeanMartinNFL) November 1, 2015
These two tweets are as far as I’ll go into the mess that was the aforementioned speculation. Of course, my Matt Cassel comment was merely written to poke fun at the whole situation. But now I am here to tell Cowboys fans that this 2015 offseason has given us a free agent running back that we can all get behind!
His name is Lamar Miller, and if you are going to push for one back to join the silver and blue this offseason, let it be him.
A fourth round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, Miller took over the starting job in Miami as a member of the Dolphins in 2013. He was 26th among all running backs in carries that season, and totaled 709 yards.
The following season he shot up to 15th in the league in carries, as he went for a career high 1,099 yards. This season, he dropped down to 872 yards on the 18th highest workload in the league with 194 attempts.
Should Lamar Miller trade in his dolphin helmet for a star, Cowboys fans should be excited about his relatively small workload. With Darren McFadden’s durability being a concern going into his contract year, adding a guy like Miller will bring in a spark of energy to the Dallas backfield.
Miller is a perfect fit for Scott Linehan’s running system, with the shifty speed and quickness to do major damage behind the league’s best offensive line. While Tony Romo and Darren McFadden could make for a dangerous combination in 2016, allowing DMC to to run against defensive fronts that do not see his carries coming, the addition of Lamar Miller could take this offense to a Super Bowl level.
Romo tosses to Miller. Miller around the left side. Makes a man miss! 10. 5. Touchdown. Dallas Cowboys.
Sound good to you? Great, same here! Now let’s get ready to hear this on repeat in 2016, by tweeting #MillerToDallas (all tweets using this hashtag will appear at MillerToDallas.com, which is brought to you by Inside The Star)!
[signoff author=”smartin” source=”ufr”]
The question is what would it cost to sign Miller. I don't think he gets Murray money but a 4-yr $25M deal sounds in the ballpark. I wouldn't pay more than that though. I think I would rather spend my money on a guy like John Starks that can spell McFadden and would cost a lot less and then grab my RB of the future in the 3rd round.
I think that's a fair contract number. I also agree that the talent to be had at RB in this draft is awesome! So either way, we should have an upgrade at this position come 2016 – already coming off a season where DMC was fourth in the league in rushing after ten starts and no viable quarterback play.
I am on record, going back to my support of letting DeMarco Murray leave town, of being against spending big money at running back. I think when you've invested three first-rounders and the money to come on second contracts for these offensive linemen then you should be able to get production with reasonable talent at running back. Lamar Miller's a great player but would his production behind this line, at $7-$8M/year, be that much greater than what we got from McFadden for a fraction of the price? I just think you can spend that money elsewhere and get better return for your dollar.
Definitely agree depending on who else we bring in. Had Corey on my show this week and he was in favor of signing Trumaine Johnson over Miller.
I'm with Haynie.
Not that I'm dead-set against signing a guy like Miller, but I really think you're better off addressing that position in the draft. I see too many rookie runningbacks playing very good football for pennies on the dollar versus these high-priced veterans. I also think Darren McFadden being here another year affords us the opportunity to be looking for more of a "complementary back" as opposed to paying somebody big dollars to crank out 1,500 yards for us by himself.
http://www.MillerToDallas.com!
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I don't see Dallas giving him any money. The Jets or Browns probably over pay.