The Dallas Cowboys, who were recently listed as one of the teams most likely to be hit the hardest in free agency, will face the difficult task of deciding which of their 22 unrestricted free agents should stay or go.

Among them is breakout star Rico Dowdle, who before rushing for over 1,000 yards in 2024 was relatively unheard of outside of the Cowboys organization.

Dowdle, a 2020 undrafted free agent, earned the team’s starting running back role midway through the season.

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Now that Dowdle’s name is on the map, a team of NFL on FOX analysts has come together to rank the top 10 running backs in free agency and had Dowdle cracking the list.

Dowdle ranked as the fourth-best upcoming free agent at running back, showing just how much he elevated his stock throughout the season.

He is likely due for a massive payday and, at 27 years old, will be highly sought after on the open market.

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NFL running back careers are often short-lived, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Dowdle takes advantage of a weak running back free agency class.

For the Cowboys, letting Dowdle walk may be the right decision, especially with his increased market value likely leading to a compensatory pick.

The upcoming draft class, which is stocked with promising running back prospects, will certainly help lessen the blow should Dowdle leave the team. This would allow the Cowboys to potentially find a cost-effective replacement, especially at a time when they have more pressing needs across the roster.

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