Too much of a rush to draft a rusher for Cowboys

By Anthony Bialy  |   Monday, April 28, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Dallas Cowboys
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The Raiders unwittingly gave Dallas a chance to avoid an unnecessary approach to the first round. Taking Darren McFadden deprived the Cowboys of any opportunity to pursue a tempting but gratuitous choice, meaning they could instead focus on stockpiling at a true need position. And then Dallas went ahead and maddeningly drafted a running back anyway. Felix Jones is undeniably skilled, and that doesn’t change the fact that the franchise already possesses a top-caliber back in Marion Barber. Why add his potential replacement when all he needs is an understudy?

The desire to force Barber to either share or relinquish the starting job he has rightfully inherited is puzzling. In his third year out of Minnesota, the back had 204 carries in 2007 and averaged a 4.8-yard gain each time. He amassed 975 yards for the season, a remarkable total for an alleged backup, and he seemed poised to be the team’s top ground weapon, but that apparent promotion has been muddied by the infusion of a player who offers too much to function as a true reserve.

The Cowboys should be investing energy in getting a long deal done with Barber, a known quantity who began ascending rapidly once given the opening in his third NFL season. Instead, they brought on a player whose draft status demands on his behalf that he gets a high percentage of carries, cutting into the older player’s touches and possibly hampering progress now toward a multiyear contract.

Barber is certainly ready to take on the starting title, and the Cowboys didn’t need to squander an early selection on a running back who will be underutilized as a steadily used backup. If the more experienced player truly gets his due, Jones is looking at the prospect of not even serving as option 1A; he’s at best facing time as a 1B, maybe a B-minus.

Rookie running backs are often capable of contributing immediately as starters, but Jones is literally a first-round talent who likely won’t get to get as many carries as he deserves. On the other hand, if he were to vault over Barber, it would then mean wasting the veteran’s abilities. As a speedster, Jones contrasts against the incumbent’s battering style, but the team could have picked up a fast rusher later and used its valuable initial turn to fill a more prominent gap.

For example, Dallas had its choice of wideouts at the time, as one wasn’t taken until Houston’s Donnie Avery went to the Rams at the 33rd spot. It’s easy to say now, but the Cowboys could have ideally traded their first pick to a desperate team, moved down into the second round, and still gotten prized cornerback Mike Jenkins along with a useful receiver to eventually replace Terrell Owens or Terry Glenn.

Barber could undoubtedly use a complementary back, but he doesn’t need competition for the first position on the depth chart. With limited resources, the Cowboys should have invested prudently by fortifying a more genuine need. Instead, they have a bottleneck of aptitude in the backfield, potentially limiting Barber’s effectiveness and satisfaction with his job situation.

Jerry Jones’ exasperating infatuation with Arkansas alumni means this team focused on its backfield too early, and now it must either have Tony Romo hand off the ball more frequently or neglect one, and perhaps both, rushers. None of those scenarios are appealing, which makes the actuality of Dallas’ first pick seem curious.
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