The Dallas Cowboys are going to have to make a decision about what to do with Darren McFadden now that he is able to return to the team after missing the first six weeks on the Non-Football Injury list.
Due to the depth at the running back position for the Cowboys and the way that Ezekiel Elliott and Alfred Morris have been performing, it doesn’t look as if there is any room on the roster for McFadden.
The only scenario that I see the Cowboys keeping McFadden around is if they decide to move on from Lance Dunbar because of his reoccurring injuries. McFadden could be that 3rd down back and still provide insurance if anything were to happen to Elliott or Morris.
I however think the Cowboys would be wise to see what McFadden’s trade value is since he is entering last year of his contract. That way they would receive some kind of compensation instead of letting his contract expire and McFadden would receive the opportunity to play more.
I think there will be plenty of teams interested in a player that finished 4th in the NFL in rushing just last season. Below are a few of the teams I could see showing an interest in trading for McFadden.
Oakland Raiders
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Darren McFadden back to the team that drafted him 4th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft?
The Oakland Raiders look like a playoff team and have been pretty impressive on offense and defense, with maybe the exception of their rushing attack.
Right now, Latavius Murray is banged up and hasn’t been all that impressive even when he was healthy. That leaves the Raiders with two rookie RBs handling the workload.
They are currently ranked 13th in the NFL in rushing averaging 110 yards a game, but McFadden might just be the missing piece to make them a dangerous playoff contender.
Personally, I would love to see this happen. It would just be a great storyline for McFadden to return to the Raiders and lead them to a playoff berth.
Green Bay Packers
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The Green Bay Packers have recently been hit pretty hard by the injury bug at the running back position. Eddie Lacy was just recently placed on injured reserve and James Starks had knee surgery just a few weeks ago.
They just added Don Johnson to the active roster after being on their practice squad and also traded with the Kansas City Chiefs for Knile Davis. But, neither are likely to be as productive as Darren McFadden would at running back.
The Packers are currently ranked 16th in the NFL in rushing with 105.2 yards per game, so thinking Johnson or Davis is going to improve things might be a long shot, McFadden might though. He might be the spark the Packers struggling offense needs.
Minnesota Vikings
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Despite being the only unbeaten team in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings rank dead last in rushing in the NFL with a measly 70.6 rushing yards per game.
Darren McFadden would probably be an upgrade over what they currently have on the roster, but I don’t know if the Dallas Cowboys would want to make this trade considering they still have to play the Vikings Week 13.
I think it would all depend on what the Vikings are offering as compensation.
Seattle Seahawks
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The Seattle Seahawks have been known as a running team the past several years with Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, but with his retirement the team is ranked 25th in the NFL averaging just 88.8 rushing yards per game.
Darren McFadden would probably be an upgrade over Christine Michael and would likely increase the Seahawks chances of making the playoffs.
Improving the running game would take a lot of pressure off of Russell Wilson and help the entire offense.
Detroit Lions
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Much like the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions are dealing with injuries to their top two running backs. They are so desperate for help at the position that they recently brought in Justin Forsett to help.
The Lions are currently 26th in the NFL in rushing, averaging 88.7 yards per game. To say that Darren McFadden would be an upgrade in their backfield would be an understatement.
Again, I don’t know if the Dallas Cowboys would want to make this trade since they still have to play the Lions Week 16 this season. It would all come down to what the Cowboys were offered as compensation.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are averaging 88.6 rushing yards per game and are currently ranked 27th in the NFL.
I don’t really know if they would be in the market to trade for any player, especially considering the fact that they are one of the worst teams in the league. But, Darren McFadden could immediately step in and improve their rushing attack.
The Buccaneers may prefer to just wait and draft a running back after the season, but you never know what team might be interested in a proven veteran RB.
Miami Dolphins
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The Miami Dolphins tried to add veteran experience to the running back position during the off-season when they added Arian Foster, but reoccurring injuries continue to give him problems.
Like the Buccaneers, the Dolphins might not be in the market to trade for a RB since they are longshot to make the playoffs.
If the Dolphins do show interest in McFadden it would be to help QB Ryan Tannehill this year and add some veteran experience they thought they would get from Foster to the running back position.
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In all honesty, if anyone wants to trade for Darren McFadden it will probably be a team looking to make the playoffs this year. So, that would leave the Raiders, Packers, Vikings, and possibly the Seahawks as the teams that might show the most interest.
What team do you think would be interested in trading for Darren McFadden?
Use the comment section below to voice your opinion about the possibility of Darren McFadden being traded and where he might end up.
i say if we get good return we trade him. We could use a pass rusher and a CB
Perry, I kind of doubt we get a player in return for McFadden. I think at best the Cowboys could receive a mid round draft pick.
I could definitely see him going to Detroit, Miami, Oakland, or Minnesota. I don’t think TB is an option, and I don’t see how GB would be interested.
Mark, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I think any team that is a playoff contender would be extremely interested in adding Darren McFadden if they’re struggling in the running game. That’s what I think Green Bay could possibly be at the top the list. The only problem is that these could be the teams the Cowboys see in the playoffs, with the exception of Oakland and Miami.