Rico Dowdle's emergence won't stop Cowboys from making most Jerry Jones pick imaginable

After a 7-10 finish to the 2024 campaign, it's back to the drawing board for the Dallas Cowboys. They enter the offseason with many unanswered questions, though running back ostensibly isn't one of the more pressing matters. Fourth-year veteran Rico Dowdle broke out in a big way, showing signs of a three-down bell cow.

Yet, despite Dowdle's emergence, ESPN's Jordan Reid ($) projects Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones to spend their No. 12 overall selection on Boise State's Ashton Jeanty. The NFL draft analyst believes it shouldn't deter them from choosing the latter. And given how the Dallas overlord has operated over the years, it'd be a very on-brand move.

Rico Dowdle's emergence won't stop Cowboys from making the most Jerry Jones pick imaginable

Reid cites Dowdle's impending unrestricted free agency and Jeanty's status as a high-end prospect as reasons why Dallas would want the Heisman Trophy runner-up. However, the former proved himself capable, the Cowboys have holes across the roster and the financial logistics make this a fittingly irresponsible misallocation of resources.

Per Spotrac, whoever Dallas picks 12th will be in line to receive a four-year, $19.86 million contract, which translates to roughly $5 million annually. Ultimately, that may be more costly than retaining Dowdle, considering the league-wide depreciated market value of the tailback position. Is the gap in talent between the two enough to spurn addressing other needs, burn premium draft capital and potentially pay more to do it? With Jones pushing the buttons in Dallas, it's a plausible albeit perplexing outcome.

We've seen this from Jones before. He controversially spent a Day 1 pick on CeeDee Lamb in 2020 when the Cowboys already had two 1,000-yard wide receivers. Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, that decision worked in his favor. But does the Dallas proprietor want to bet on lightning striking twice?

Dowdle amassed 1,328 scrimmage yards and averaged a healthy 4.8 yards per touch for the Cowboys this season. He was the lone non-Lamb bright spot on the offense, showing an ability to lead a backfield. Plus, the undrafted veteran is turning 27 this summer with minimal tread on his tires.

Meanwhile, Jeanty was otherworldly for Boise State this year. He was the nation's best back -- by far -- en route to earning consensus All-American honors. Moreover, his efforts made him an easy choice for the Maxwell Award, given to "the most outstanding player in the sport."

Jeanty racked up an incredible 2,739 yards from scrimmage and 30 touchdowns, leading the country in both categories. He's a special playmaker with uncanny contact balance and a knack for breaking tackles. Nevertheless, will his presence fix Dallas' offensive line woes or defensive shortcomings?

There's no denying that Jeanty is a helluva player. As Reid states, "he has the potential to be a game changer in Dallas." Still, of the many problems the Cowboys face this season, Dowdle wasn't one of them. Why fix something that wasn't broken when so many other things are damaged?