The Dallas Cowboys have acquired a new running back after losing Tony Pollard.
The Cowboys signed veteran running back Royce Freeman to a one-year contract on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer.
The Cowboys have signed running back Royce Freeman to a one-year contract, according to sources. Freeman had 77 carries for 319 yards and two touchdowns with the Los Angeles Rams last year. He was a third-round pick by Denver in 2018.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 17, 2024
Freeman backed up Kyren Williams with the Los Angeles Rams last season and had 319 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The 28-year-old got his start with the Denver Broncos, who drafted him out of Oregon State in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with the Broncos, followed by brief stints with the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans before arriving in Los Angeles last offseason.
Freeman is currently the most experienced player in the Cowboys' running back room. He joined Rico Doodle and Deuce Vaughn in Dallas, who remained after Pollard left for the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Pollard, who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and flashed after the Ezekiel Elliott era ended in Dallas, signed a three-year, $21.7 million contract with the Titans.
Freeman should provide solid depth at the position, but is by no means a true successor to Pollard. The team is still expected to take a running back early in next week's NFL Draft, according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. The Cowboys have the 24th overall pick and one pick in both the second and third rounds after that.
The Cowboys today signed former Rams and Broncos running back Royce Freeman to a one-year contract, officials said. This does not change the expectation that Dallas will select a running back in next week's draft.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 17, 2024
The Cowboys have several other holes to fill after losing left tackle Tyron Smith, center Tyler Biadasz and defensive end Dorrance Armstrong. The team has just over $7 million in salary space and is considering extending the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at some point this season.
Keeping these two together long term also seems like a priority.
“At the end of the day, we hit the salary cap every year. We're also looking at signing players,'' executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan via ESPN. “It's not going to happen overnight. But when you want to sign a player like Dak, [Prescott] And Mika [Parsons] and ceedy [Lamb]Granted, if you want to have a realistic chance of signing them, you need to hold back on your money. ”
Freeman is now only the second outside free agent the Cowboys have brought in this offseason. He also signed linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year deal last month.
There will certainly be other additions, but it looks like Freeman will have a real chance in Dallas this fall. However, we don't yet know what that will look like.
