Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The Cowboys' RBs in 2013
By Tim Kavanagh
So long as DeMarco Murray stays healthy, the Dallas Cowboys should have a productive and stable ground attack. But that hasn't been the case through the first two seasons of the Oklahoma product's NFL career. As a result, the club needs some reinforcements at the position.
In 2012, those duties fell to Felix Jones, Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner to varying degrees. Jones is an impending free agent, and it's not certain he'll be re-signed, despite Jerry Jones' affinity for players from his alma mater. So that leaves Dunbar and Tanner to compete for reps (so long as another option isn't brought in via free agency or the draft). In a blog post analyzing Dunbar, Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com addressed both young RBs:
Calvin Watkins
Rookie Review/Preview: Lance Dunbar"Dunbar needs more work in the passing game, especially in picking up the blitz, but it seems the Cowboys want to keep him around more than Phillip Tanner, the other backup running back. Dunbar has good speed and vision and seems to hit holes faster than Tanner. He will compete, possibly with Tanner in training camp, to be Murray's backup. The key for Dunbar, of course, is whether the new special teams coach thinks he can provide an impact on his unit."
