Should the Broncos sign running back Rico Dowdle?

If the Cowboys don’t keep him, should the Broncos try to take him?

Running back is a clear need for the Denver Broncos.

How Sean Payton and George Paton decide to address that is less clear.

With a deep running back class in the NFL Draft, does it make sense to pay for a veteran?

If the price is right and the production is a guarantee (or close), then it might be. And Dowdle could provide both.

Rico Dowdle — Running Back

Age: 26 | Experience: Fifth | Height: 6’0” | Weight: 215 pounds

Signing as an undrafted free agent to the Dallas Cowboys in 2020, Dowdle didn’t light the world on fire in his first four years in the NFL, due in part to a hip injury in 2021 that kept him out for his entire sophomore campaign.

But after becoming a free agent a year ago and then re-signing with the Cowboys, the former Gamecock had a breakout season. Now the fifth-year veteran has some options.

Why the Broncos should sign Dowdle

As an undrafted rookie, making the team — a team that had Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard — was no small feat for Dowdle. And it’s clear that once his hip injury was healed and the path to starter was clear, he had been taking great notes from Elliott and Pollard.

After accumulating just 385 yards total from 2020 to 2023 (361 of those coming in ‘23), Dowdle tripled his production last season as the clear No. 1 back for Dallas. He ran for more than 1,000 yards, topping 100 yards in four games, and he scored five total touchdowns, two running and three receiving.

It was finally the “Cinderella season” the Cowboys — and Dowdle — had hoped for. In fact, last season Dowdle became the first undrafted player in Cowboys’ history to top 1,000 yards rushing. And with only 331 snaps in his five years at Dallas, he hasn’t taken too much wear-and-tear since coming back from his hip injury.

Why the Broncos won’t sign Dowdle

While Dowdle could bring some immediate firepower to the Broncos’ running back room, his price tag may not be worth it.

Having signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys in 2024 for $1.25 million, Spotrac predicts Dowdle could make quite a bit more coin in 2025, setting his yearly value at roughly $6.2 million a year. But that’s also based on just one good year — one that could turn out to be a one-hit-wonder season.

Plenty of teams will be willing to pay for a productive-but-not-worn-out running back, but Denver may not be one of them. Especially if Payton doesn’t think he needs to look beyond the Draft to add to the room.

And all of this is assuming the Cowboys don’t re-sign him before he hits the open market.

Final thoughts

If the Cowboys decide not to re-sign Dowdle, he would be an intriguing idea for Denver and nice to have on the roster, particularly if the Broncos don’t keep Javonte Williams.

But given that Denver can easily pick up a few RB gems in the Draft a few weeks later, Dowdle would have to be a bargain.