Cowboys Could Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West

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Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards.

There are a lot of times when players just get stuck in the wrong spot at the wrong times — such is the case of running back Gus Edwards.

Edwards spent the first 6 seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens and rushed for over 700 yards each of his first 3 seasons. When Edwards finally would have had the chance to become the lone featured running back after J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL in the final preseason game before the 2021 season, Edwards tore his ACL just 4 days before the regular season opener.

While Edwards bounced back with 810 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in 2023, it wasn’t enough to keep him around in Baltimore but it did land him a 2-year, $6.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers in March 2024 that brought his career earnings to approximately $17 million.

Now set up to be the featured back for the Chargers, Edwards ran into more bad luck when he was benched in favor of Dobbins — yes, he came to the same team — and struggled with injuries late in the year.

Edwards should have enough gas in the tank to make an impact on an NFL roster. With his value at an all time low in terms of salary, the Dallas Cowboys and their underwhelming backfield might be the best landing place for him.

What Edwards Might Bring to the Cowboys

While Edwards might not have the juice to be a featured back anymore — if he ever did – the best bet for a team like the Cowboys might be to add Edwards on a 1-year contract on hope success comes in the form of a viable, running back-by-committee approach.

More to that end, the Cowboys actually don’t need their running backs to be superstars right now. They just need them to be competent in short-yardage situations and provide spot relief for a a team that should operate at a high level throwing the ball if all parties involved are healthy — quarterback Dak Prescott is returning from a season-ending hamstring injury and has 3 high profile targets to throw to in NFL All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, newly acquired wide receiver George Pickens and Pro Bowl tight end Jake Ferguson.

Adding someone like Edwards, who is willing to stay in the pocket and block, could prove to be a deft move.

The unsung hero of the Ravens touchdown was #35 Gus Edwards… His refusal to lose is what made this play possible! 🔥🔥🔥

Rookie RB Could Shake Things Up for Cowboys

There is one X-factor who could make Edwards or free agent running back Javonte Williams afterthoughts — rookie Jaydon Blue.

ESPN’s Mike Clay called Blue, a fifth round pick (No. 149 overall) out of Texas, the “Wild Card” for the Dallas offense in 2025.

Blue scored 18 touchdowns in 3 seasons at Texas — 11 rushing and 7 receiving — with 14 of those touchdowns coming in 2024 as he put up 1,098 yards of total offense.

In 2024, he also helped lead the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Blue followed that up by running the 40-yard dash in a blazing, 4.38 seconds at the NFL scouting combine.

“Blue will begin his career behind newly acquired veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, but neither have played well in recent seasons, so this depth chart is wide open,” Clay wrote on May 16. “The lead back role in Dallas is there for the taking.”

Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame