Royce Freeman’s potential impact on Cowboys’ RB position & draft strategy

How much will the addition of veteran Royce Freeman impact Dallas’ draft strategy at RB?

Hey, the Cowboys did a thing! Veteran running back Royce Freeman was added on Tuesday; a meager move compared to most but still not meaningless. What could this signing mean for Dallas’ running back position going forward, both as it relates to the 2024 NFL Draft and the upcoming season?

Freeman, who recently turned 28, has been in the league since 2018 after the Broncos made him a third-round pick. He started eight games as a rookie but none beyond that, and then failed to make the team in his fourth season. He’s since floated around the league the last three years in a backup role, spending time with the Panthers, Texans, and Rams.

At 6’0” and nearly 240 lbs., Freeman is a bruising, north-south power runner. He does have some versatility as a receiver, catching 43 balls for Denver in 2019 despite not starting. Unsurprising with his size, Freeman is also an accomplished pass blocker.

If the Cowboys were going to sign a 28-year-old RB at this stage of the offseason, fans would likely have preferred Dalvin Cook or a reunion with Ezekiel Elliott. But while Freeman is only a few months younger than those veterans, he has way less NFL mileage. His 471 career carries and 86 receptions are about a season-and-a-half of what Elliott used to handle in his prime for Dallas.

Along with less wear and tear on Freeman’s body, we can be sure that his still undisclosed contract is coming in around the veteran minimum of about $1.1 million, and likely with little-to-no guaranteed money. It’s consistent with how the Cowboys have handled the 2024 offseason.

This move shouldn’t change anything about how Dallas handles the running back position at next week’s draft. Freeman is here to compete for a backup job and provide some insurance against injury for Rico Dowdle, who before 2023 has struggled to stay healthy. His signing doesn’t touch the void at the top of the depth chart, which the Cowboys are expected to address with one of their Day 2 picks.

The player who should feel most threatened by this addition is Malik Davis, who hasn’t been able to beat out Dowdle in roster battles and now has another well-rounded back to compete with. Second-year prospect Deuce Vaughn would have an easier time finding work as a niche player in the rotation, offering more variety with his skills and style.

If the Cowboys are targeting someone like Trey Benson or Jonathan Brooks as early as the second round, this move isn’t going to alter that one bit. It may not even affect Dowdle as the presumptive RB2. Like Ronald Jones last year, Freeman may just be here for the next few months to compete in camp, provide insurance against injuries, and ultimately never play a down in Dallas.

Still, in this frustrating, relatively quiet offseason, it’s at least something. The Dallas Cowboys are clearly leaning on internal promotion and the 2024 draft to reload for the upcoming season. Royce Freeman is far from the kind of addition fans were hoping for, but it’s in keeping with the front office’s methodology this year. We’ll see what kind of impact he has, if any, going forward.