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A backfield shakeup took place for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. The team added two players with starting experience, who will be battling it out for the first-team carries in training camp beginning this week.
As Dallas heads into their first training camp session on Tuesday, a team of insiders discussed the state of the backfield and projected the day-one starter at the position. While the consensus might say the former Denver Broncos rusher Javonte Williams is in the driver’s seat based on minicamp, Dallas insider Tommy Yarrish predicts Miles Sanders.
“I think of all the backs in the room, he’s got the most juice left and the best chance to benefit from a fresh start after Sanders struggled in his two seasons with the Panthers,” Yarrish wrote.
“It’s hard to tell, given what we’ve seen in padless practices, who is rising to the top in the running back room, and will likely be a better question to monitor at training camp, but in shorts, Sanders looks a bit more explosive compared to the rest of the group.”
Earlier in his career, Sanders was one of the most notable running backs in the league. Coming out of Penn State, Sanders was a second-round draft selection for the Philadelphia Eagles. Therefore, the Cowboys had a chance to get to know Sanders really well from the other side of the ball.
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During Sanders’s rookie season, he wasn’t a full-time starter but had plenty of opportunities to prove he was a dual threat. He took on 179 carries for 818 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games. He caught 50 passes for 509 yards and scored three times.
By year two, Sanders was a full-time starter for the Eagles. He exceeded 750 yards in each of his next two years before putting together a career year in 2022.
Sanders was a major help for the Eagles amid their 2022 Super Bowl run. In 17 games, the young veteran took on 259 carries for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns. It was the first time in Sanders’ career he exceeded 200 carries in a season.
Following the Eagles’ 38-35 loss in Super Bowl LVII, Sanders became a free agent for the first time in his career. With his stock soaring, he landed a four-year contract worth over $25 million in free agency. Once he joined the Carolina Panthers, Sanders struggled to live up to his contract.
Year one in Carolina included a 432-yard season on the ground. He followed up that campaign with 205 yards off 55 carries in 11 games in 2024. Unsurprisingly, the Panthers parted ways with Sanders at the start of the offseason. Just a few days later, the Cowboys scooped him up on a one-year, prove-it deal.
Sanders will be in a preseason/camp battle with the former Denver Broncos running back, Javonte Williams. Over four seasons, Williams appeared in 54 games. He averaged nearly 600 yards per season in Denver. Last year, Williams rushed for 513 yards and four touchdowns.
The Cowboys can take several paths to get creative with their backfield situation next season. While picking a feature back between Sanders and Williams is certainly an option. So is utilizing them as a committee. If those options are unsuccessful, Dallas could be players in the trade market.
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