The Dallas Cowboys didn't add the premier weapon that the fan base wanted in the NFL Draft, and instead chose to prioritize finding replacements for Zack Martin and DeMarcus Lawrence. While they didn't draft high-end skill position talent, they did bolster their running back depth in a big way by selecting both Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah in the fifth and seventh rounds, respectively. Adding both Blue and Mafah to a running back room that already includes Javonte Williams could result in the Miles Sanders era in Dallas coming to an end before it even begins.
I know, it'd be strange for the Cowboys to release a player they just signed over the offseason, but it's not as if Sanders is some untouchable player. He signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal with Dallas over the offseason, with virtually all of it non-guaranteed.
Sanders is going to have a shot to make the team, but with both Blue and Mafah entering the mix, he could get pushed off the roster.
Cowboys draft picks could push Miles Sanders off the Cowboys Week 1 roster
If you had told me just three years ago that Sanders would be fighting to be part of this Cowboys running room, I would've told you you're crazy. Sanders had over 1,200 yards in the 2022 campaign for the Philadelphia Eagles and wound up signing a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. He wound up recording just 637 rushing yards in two seasons with Carolina before getting released and latching on with Dallas.
Giving Sanders a chance to bounce back behind a much more functional offense in Dallas made some sense, but as a last resort. The Cowboys were much better off trying to get younger, dynamic backs in their backfield, and that's exactly what they did in the NFL Draft.
Given the fact that the Cowboys used draft capital on Blue and Mafah, it's unlikely they will release either one of those players before Week 1. It'll probably be between Sanders and Williams for that third running back spot, and there's no reason to expect Williams to lose that battle.
Williams' stock isn't insanely high, but his contract has more guaranteed money, he's shown more in recent years, and he's three years younger than Sanders as well. Sanders could wind up being the fourth running back on their roster, but with the Cowboys adding two players in the draft, his odds of making the team just took a nosedive.