The Dallas Cowboys signed a new running back after losing Tony Pollard.
The Cowboys agreed to a one-year deal with veteran running back Royce Freeman on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
The Cowboys have signed running back Royce Freeman to a one-year contract, according to source. Freeman had 319 yards on 77 carries with 2 touchdowns last year for the Los Angeles Rams. He was a third-round pick out of Denver in ’18.
-Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 17, 2024
Freeman had 319 rushing yards and two touchdowns last season while backing up Kyren Williams with the Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old started for the Denver Broncos, who took him in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Oregon. He spent three seasons with the Broncos and then had short stints with the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans before arriving in Los Angeles last offseason.
Freeman is now the most experienced player in the Cowboys’ running back room. He joins Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn in Dallas, who remained after Pollard left for the Tennessee Titans as a free agent. Pollard — who had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and shined after the end of the Ezekiel Elliott era in Dallas — signed a three-year, $21.7 million contract with the Titans.
While Freeman should provide some solid depth at the position, he is not a true replacement for Pollard by any means. The team, according to Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News, is still expected to take a running back early in next week’s NFL Draft. The Cowboys have the 24th overall pick and then a pick in the second and third rounds.
The Cowboys today signed former Rams and Broncos RB Royce Freeman to a one-year contract, a person familiar with the move said. This doesn’t change the expectation that Dallas will select a running back in next week’s draft.
-Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 17, 2024
The Cowboys also have several other openings to fill after losing left tackle Tyron Smith, center Tyler Biadasz and defensive end Dorance Armstrong. The team has just over $7 million available in salary cap space and is eyeing extensions for quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at some point this season.
Keeping these two around long-term also seems to be a priority.
“At the end of the day, we maximize our salary cap every year. We will have done that and what comes with a good lineup, what we do, we are also looking at signing our own players,” Executive Vice President Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via ESPN. “That doesn’t mean it happens overnight. But when you want to sign players like Dak [Prescott] and Micah [Parsons] and CeeDee [Lamb]so you’re certainly going to have to retain the money if you want to have a realistic chance of signing these guys.”
Freeman is now just the second outside free agent the Cowboys have signed this offseason. They also signed linebacker Eric Kendricks to a one-year contract last month.
While there are certainly others coming, it appears Freeman will have a real opportunity in Dallas this fall. What that looks like, though, remains to be seen.
