Barring a miracle, the Dallas Cowboys likely won't make the upcoming NFL playoffs. Entering Week 14 with a 5-7 record, the Cowboys only have a 3% chance of qualifying for the postseason, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, which will only increase to 6% if they defeat the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football.
With that being said, many Cowboys are already looking ahead to the 2025 NFL draft. After all, it'll offer Jerry Jones plenty of prospects who can help improve the roster, especially if one of the main goals this offseason is to replace any underperforming starters.
With that in mind, heres a starter that the Cowboys must consider replacing through the draft next year.
Rico Dowdle, RB
If you've been following the Cowboys, you know just how underwhelming the running back room has been. The Cowboys enter the upcoming slate of games averaging the second-fewest rushing yards per game while also being tied for the fewest yards per carry.
Ezekiel Elliott opened the season as Dallas' RB1, however, that experiment was shortlived before Rico Dowdle took over the backfield. Although the 26-year-old runner has been an upgrade over his counterpart, it isn't as if he's been lighting up the world either.
Although he's tallied career-highs in carries (134) and rushing yards (600), Dowdle has only run the ball into the end zone once this season and that didn't come until Week 13. He does have three receiving TDs on 32 catches and while that's decent, it's worth noting that his 6.1 yards per reception is a notable decrease from last year's rate (8.5).
Both Dowdle and Elliott are free agents in the offseason, so it wouldn't be surprising if the Cowboys looked to the draft to replace the duo. College football phenom Ashton Jeanty has been linked to Dallas amid his record-breaking campaign and he has the potential to take the team's running game to the next level.
Dowdle is a solid RB, but it's clear that he isn't meant to be a No. 1 bell cow option like Saquon Barkley or Derrick Henry. If the Cowboys want a presence like that in their backfield, they must replace the veteran back.