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 Running Backs |
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April 4, 2008
There has been no news on running back Marion Barber and his current contract situation. The Cowboys gave him a restricted tender of $2.562 million, which is worth a first- and third-round pick if he signed with another team. But for now, there hasn't been much interest from other teams, mainly because of those two picks. Teams have until April 18 to sign restricted free agents to an offer sheet. However, expect the only thing Barber will be signing is a long-term extension with the Cowboys, although neither side seems to be in a hurry.
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February 28, 2008
The Cowboys released Oliver Hoyte, who spent the last two seasons as the primary fullback. Hoyte missed six games in 2007 with a neck injury he sustained in Week Two against Miami. Hoyte, a linebacker in college, made the Cowboys roster as a special teams player in 2006 and was switched to fullback, where he started four games as a rookie. Hoyte started eight games last season at the position. The Cowboys now have just Deon Anderson and Ronnie Cruz as the only fullbacks on the roster.
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February 4, 2008
The Cowboys have not had a running back in the Pro Bowl since the 1999 season when Emmitt Smith made his eighth and final appearance. That will change this week when Marion Barber plays in the game as one of 13 Cowboys expected to participate in Sunday's Pro Bowl. Barber rushed for 975 yards and scored 12 total touchdowns. He was named a backup behind Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook. |
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January 13, 2008
Cowboys running back Marion Barber got his first start of the season and made the most of it, rushing for 129 yards, the sixth-highest playoff total in franchise history. Barber had 101 rushing yards in the first half alone, including a 1-yard touchdown run. Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said he opted to start Barber over Julius Jones to give the offense a spark. Barber's 36-yard run was also the team's sixth-longest rush in post-season history.
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December 13, 2007
Cowboys running back Marion Barber has already rushed for a career-high 839 yards this season and has a legitimate chance for a 1,000-yard season with three games to play. With Julius Jones topping the century mark last year, Barber and Jones would become the first two players in Cowboys history to have 1,000-yard rushing seasons in consecutive years.
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December 9, 2007
Cowboys running back Marion Barber recorded his first three-touchdown game of his career, scoring twice on the ground and another pass reception. Barber also had a career-game with 10 receptions for 61 yards. Barber caught four passes on the Cowboys' game-winning drive. The third-year running back now has 11 touchdowns this year - nine rushing and two receiving.
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November 8, 2007
Cowboys fullback Oliver Hoyte had full participation in practice for the second consecutive day and head coach Wade Phillips said he expects him to start Sunday against the Giants. Hoyte is the only fullback on the roster now that Deon Anderson is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff. Hoyte has missed the last six games with a knee injury.
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November 7, 2007
Cowboys running back Julius Jones might not be having an ideal season, with just 353 yards at the halfway point, but he continues to climb up the charts on a few club milestones. Jones became just the eighth player in Cowboys history to record 800 career carries and needs just seven to pass Herschel Walker (818) on the club's all-time list. Jones is also only 242 yards behind Walker (3,491) for seventh on the Cowboys' all-time rushing chart.
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October 21, 2007
Cowboys running back Marion Barber rushed for 96 yards Sunday against the Vikings, who were allowing only 66.2 rushing yards per game. Barber now has 1,669 career rushing yards, moving him past Duane Thomas (1,596) for 14th on the club's all-time rushing yards list. Barber now has five rushing touchdowns and six total this year.
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October 6, 2007
Cowboys fullback Oliver Hoyte has been ruled out of Monday night's game against Buffalo with a neck injury. Hoyte, who was limited in practice this week and listed as doubtful on Friday, will miss his third consecutive game. That means rookie Deon Anderson, the team's sixth-round pick, will start again in Hoyte's place. |
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October 5, 2007
Cowboys fullback Oliver Hoyte has been limited in practice this week with a neck injury and is not expected to play again Monday night in Buffalo, for what would be the third straight week. That means the Cowboys will be prepared to start rookie fullback Deon Anderson again this week. Anderson, a sixth-round pick from UConn, has worked with the first-team offense for the last three weeks now.
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September 28, 2007
Cowboys running back Marion Barber is about to play his 32nd career game, virtually two full seasons since he missed four games as a rookie. But so far, through 31 games, Barber has scored 26 career touchdowns. In comparison, Emmitt Smith had 21 touchdowns after his first 31 games, in which Smith started all but one. Barber still has just three career starts.
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September 27, 2007
Rookie fullback Deon Anderson could make his second straight start in place of Oliver Hoyte, who was limited in practice again Thursday with a neck injury. Anderson, a sixth-round pick from UConn, again worked with the first-team offense. He's also a valuable member on special teams, playing on both kickoff units.
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September 6, 2007
With Terence Newman not expected to return punts this week, the Cowboys are getting some rather unexpected candidates ready to back up Patrick Crayton in that area. Wade Phillips said Marion Barber would likely return punts in an emergency situation, having handled those duties one year in college at Minnesota. Phillips also said the Cowboys had Anthony Henry and Roy Williams fielding punts in practice this week.
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August 28, 2007
Cowboys fullback Oliver Hoyte, who missed the last two preseason games with a stinger, said he expected to play Thursday night in Minnesota. Hoyte was wearing an extended neck brace over his shoulder pads in Wednesday's practice. The second-year pro from North Carolina State is trying to retain his roster spot, but it won't be easy. The Cowboys will likely only keep two fullbacks among the trio of Hoyte, Lousaka Polite and rookie Deon Anderson, a sixth-round draft pick.
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August 23, 2007
Looking for some depth at running back, the Cowboys signed tailback Arliss Beach on Thursday, just a day after working him out here at Valley Ranch. Beach, wearing No. 43, was at practice and could even play in Saturday's game against Houston. To make room, the Cowboys waived rookie punter Sam Paulescu for the second time since the start of training camp. Beach, who played at Kentucky, spent last season on Green Bay's injured reserve and was released by the Packers on May 5 this year. |
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August 22, 2007
Rookie running back Alonzo Coleman might get an opportunity for more playing time in Saturday's game in Houston, especially if fellow rookie Jackie Battle doesn't play because of an ankle injury. Battle missed another practice Wednesday and has been wearing a protective boot. Coleman, an undrafted free agent from Hampton, had missed all of training camp because of a foot injury, but played last week against Denver, rushing for four carries for 15 yards. With Julius Jones, Marion Barber and Tyson Thompson seemingly locking up the three tailback spots, Coleman and Battle could be competing for a spot on the practice squad.
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August 5, 2007
While the Cowboys have lined up Julius Jones as the first-team tailback in the standard offense, head coach Wade Phillips was rather non-committal to answer when asked Sunday if Marion Barber has a chance to compete for the starting job. "Right now, we're in the early stages of all of it, which means we're starting out where we were last year," Phillips said. "But I don't know where it's going to go from there. I think they're both good backs." While Jones rushed for 1,084 yards last year, Barber added 654, along with 14 rushing touchdowns, which ranked third in the NFL. Barber is expected to handle the goal-line, short-yardage and third-down situations as he did last season.
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July 23, 2007
With the first training camp practice only two days away, the Cowboys have yet to officially sign one of their eight draft picks, as of Monday morning. Now sixth-round pick Deon Anderson, a fullback from UConn, has agreed to terms on a contract. But the Cowboys still have a ways to go before getting their picks signed and down to training camp. The players and coaches will be arriving in San Antonio by Tuesday, with the first practice scheduled for Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in the Alamodome.
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June 18, 2007
Cowboys running back Julius Jones is entering just his fourth season with the team, but already ranks eighth in rushing yards in franchise history with 2,896 yards. If Jones can post his second straight 1,000-yard season, he will move into sixth place on the Cowboys' all-time rushing charts, surpassing Herschel Walker (3,491) and Walt Garrison (3,886). Jones is entering the final year of his contract and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next March.
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April 26, 2007
The Cowboys signed exclusive rights free agent fullback Lousaka Polite on Thursday. Polite played in 12 games for Dallas last season, rushing for 18 yards on seven carries and posting two receptions for 21 yards. He originally signed with Dallas as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2004 out of Pittsburgh. He made the practice squad as a rookie before working his way up the active roster late in the season. For his career, he has 12 receptions for 97 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 26 yards on nine carries.
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March 14, 2007
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones quelled recent rumors on Wednesday that the team is shopping starting running back Julius Jones. Jerry Jones said he liked last year's rotation between Julius Jones and Marion Barber and hopes Tyson Thompson can return from last year's season-ending fractured tibia as a viable third option. But trading Jones, who played in all 16 regular-season games and reached 1,000 yards for the first time in his career, is not a point of interest. "I don't see that happening," Jerry Jones said. "We have got a team that's going to need some great plays from that position and I like what we've done there with (Marion) Barber. More than likely, unless we have an opportunity in the draft to do something, it's likely that we'll be going with the running back group we ended the season with."
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December 15, 2006
The Cincinnati Bengals announced Friday that they claimed rookie Skyler Green off waivers from the Cowboys, who released their fourth-round pick Thursday to make room for tight end Andy Thorn on the active roster. Thorn could provide blocking insurance with Oliver Hoyte (knee) banged up heading into Saturday's game. Green has bounced from the Cowboys' practice squad to the active roster since intially getting released at the end of training camp. He appeared in two games for the Cowboys on punt and kickoff returns. |
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December 12, 2006
Cowboys fullback Oliver Hoyte missed most of Sunday's game with sprained knee, but said Tuesday he is confident he will be ready for Saturday night's game in Atlanta. The Cowboys used backup fullback Lousaka Polite to replace Hoyte in the offense and on special teams in Sunday's loss to the Saints. Hoyte, who made the team as a rookie free agent this summer, moved from linebacker to fullback early in the season.
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December 11, 2006
After getting released last Thursday to make room for veteran safety Tony Parrish, the Cowboys re-signed rookie Skyler Green to the active roster again on Monday. To make room, they cut guard Travis Leffew, who was signed to the roster on Nov. 21. The Cowboys also made another practice squad move on Monday, re-signing wide receiver Damarius Bilbo, who had been on the squad late in the preseason and then for about a month in the regular season. The Cowboys waived tight end Jason Randall from the practice squad. As for Green, Parcells has said the rookie had made big strides since moving from wide receiver to running back in mid-season. Green was called up to the active roster on Oct. 13 and played in just two games, mostly on special teams.
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December 10, 2006
Cowboys running back Julius Jones scored his first touchdown at Texas Stadium in two years, coincidentally against the Saints again. Jones' 77-yard TD run in the first quarter ties him for the fifth-longest run in Cowboys history. With 116 yards, Jones not only recorded his fourth 100-yard game of the season, but now has 993 yards this season, tying last year's season total. Jones has three games remaining to post his first career 1,000-yard season.
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December 8, 2006
Running back Julius Jones has not had a 100-yard game since Oct. 15 against Houston when he rushed for 106 yards, which was his third straight 100-yard game of the season. Jones still needs just 123 yards to post his first career 1,000-yard season. And while Jones has not scored a touchdown since Oct. 29 in Carolina, he hasn't scored at Texas Stadium in nearly two years. Coincidentally, his last score at home came against the Saints, in a losing effort.
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December 5, 2006
Always looking to bolster his contingency plans, head coach Bill Parcells and the Cowboys took a look at veteran running back Antowain Smith, who worked out for the club at Valley Ranch Tuesday, the players' day off. Smith has been with five different NFL teams, playing four years with the Bills and three in New England where he earned a pair of Super Bowl rings, followed by one-year stints with the Titans in 2004 and the Saints in 2005. Smith went to training camp with the Houston Texans, but was released on Sept. 1. Smith was a former first-round pick (23rd overall) of the Bills in 1997 out of the University of Houston . . . The Cowboys have one of the NFL's best running tandems in Julius Jones and Marion Barber, who ranks third in the NFL with 13 touchdowns scored. Jones leads the Cowboys with 877 rushing yards.
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November 22, 2006
Cowboys running back Julius Jones had a game to remember on Thanksgiving two years ago, out-dueling his brother Thomas and the Bears in a 21-7 win. Julius Jones rushed for 150 yards and two touchdowns. But since that game, Jones has only scored one touchdown at Texas Stadium, that occurring just weeks later against the Saints. Jones has rushed for nine touchdowns since that Dec. 10 loss to New Orleans, but all occurring on the road . . . With six games to play, Jones needs just 160 yards for a season career-high. He rushed for 993 yards last year and 819 in 2004 as a rookie.
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November 19, 2006
Cowboys running back Marion Barber scored his eighth and ninth rushing touchdowns of the season Sunday, scoring the pair in the fourth quarter of the 21-14 win over the Colts. Barber, who only rushed for 35 yards on nine carries, had his second multi-touchdown game of the season. Barber is now tied for third in the NFL with nine rushing touchdowns, which is also tied for the most by a Dallas running back since Emmitt Smith had nine during the 2000 season.
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November 15, 2006
The Cowboys have kept Lousaka Polite's phone number handy. Polite is back on the 53-man roster for the second time in the last two weeks. He initially was released when rookie Oliver Hoyte made the transition from linebacker to fullback. "One of the more important things is to have players at this time that know what to do," Parcells said of his decision to bring back Polite. "Breaking in a new back with protections and everything is a difficult thing to do." Parcells said his running back depth is a concern and Polite not only knows the system and the blocking assignments, but has experience at both fullback and running back. The Cowboys had the room on the roster after releasing safety Marcus Coleman over the weekend and placing Greg Ellis on injured reserve.
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November 7, 2006
The Cowboys waived fullback Lousaka Polite, who was re-signed to the team last week and played in Sunday's loss to the Redskins. The Cowboys could always bring back Polite, whom head coach Bill Parcells has called one of the team's smartest and strongest players back in training camp. The club waived Polite on Oct. 20, but signed him last week when converted fullback Oliver Hoyte suffered a minor arm injury. The Cowboys dressed both Hoyte and Polite for the game. |
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November 2, 2006
Just one day after Bill Parcells said he might bring back Lousaka Polite at some point, the Cowboys officially re-signed the fullback on Thursday. The Cowboys also waived running back Keylon Kincade, who was signed on Tuesday to replace the injured Tyson Thompson. Polite now gives the Cowboys two fullbacks on the roster after the team moved rookie Oliver Hoyte from his linebacker position two weeks ago. |
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October 31, 2006
The Cowboys signed running back Keylon Kincade, who has spent portions of the last two seasons on the team's practice squad. Kincade will replace Tyson Thompson, who was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday after suffering a broken ankle, which will require surgery to repair his fibula. Thompson is leading the NFC with a 26.0 kick return average. Kincade, a former SMU standout, rushed for 36 yards on nine carries during the preseason and also recorded two special teams tackles.
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October 16, 2006
Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells continues to be impressed by running back Marion Barber, who has now scored a touchdown in four straight games. Parcells said the time might be right to start adding to Barber's workload.
"I like the way our running game so far has gone. I think we're starting to be effective and I do like the tandem that we're using," Parcells said. "I think Marion could even get a little more because he seems to be productive when he gets in the game. He's played 18 games and has nine touchdowns. That's something to pay attention to. And he blocks pretty well for the passer and he can catch the ball. I think we might even think about expanding him a little bit."
But Parcells also is aware starting tailback Julius Jones has rushed for 100 yards or more in three straight games and ranks sixth in the NFL in rushing with 494 yards.
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October 13, 2006
After spending the first five weeks of the regular season on the practice squad, rookie Skyler Green is finally back on the active roster. The Cowboys moved up the fourth-round draft pick from LSU to the 53-man roster Friday. Green, who was drafted as a wide receiver but moved to running back late last month, has a chance to play Sunday against the Texans. Green said he might return punts, his primary job during the preseason games.
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October 8, 2006
For just the second time in his career, Cowboys running back Julius Jones eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in consecutive games. Jones, who rushed for exactly 100 yards on 26 yards, had 122 yards last week against the Titans. Jones now has six 100-yard games in his career, five of which coming on the road. Through four games this season, Jones has 388 yards and two touchdowns . . . Second-year back Marion Barber scored on a 2-yard run in the first quarter. Barber, who leads the team with three rushing scores, now has a touchdown in three straight games.
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October 4, 2006
Despite already missing one game, Cowboys running back Julius Jones ranks sixth in the NFC with 288 yards. Head coach Bill Parcells complimented his starting back for his development since his rookie season. "I think he's a little more patient with his stuff now and I think he has a better understanding of his plays and how to read them," Parcells said. "And I think his comfort level as a runner . . . he's not just running on instincts now. He's running on intelligence and instincts and patience. You're never going to be a good runner until you can do all of those." Jones rushed for 122 yards on 23 carries Sunday in Tennessee.
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September 6, 2006
The Cowboys have moved Skyler Green from wide receiver to running back. The fourth-round pick from LSU who is on the practice squad, played a variety of positions in high school and college, including quarterback, tailback, receiver, along with returning kickoffs and punts.
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September 3, 2006
While Julius Jones and Marion Barber will both get plenty of chances to carry the ball this season, Tyson Thompson could figure into the mix as well. Thompson will serve as the kickoff return specialist after setting numerous club records in that category last season. Polite is the only fullback on the roster, but he could serve as the tailback in short-yardage situations and could play some H-back and tight end, if needed. The Cowboys cut second-year back Keylon Kincade but might look to re-sign him to the practice squad for a third straight year.
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August 19, 2006
The Cowboys cut rookie tailback Demetris Summers, an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina. The Cowboys now have four running backs on the roster, led by Julius Jones and Marion Barber. The battle for the third running back spot is between Tyson Thompson and Keylon Kincade, although the Cowboys might decide to keep a fourth back in Lousaka Polite, who can play fullback and be used around the goal line. |
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August 12, 2006
None of the backs got into double-digits in carries Saturday night, with Tyson Thompson recording a team-high nine carries for 29 yards . . . Marion Barber had seven attempts for 20 yards. In fact, Keylon Kincade and Tony Romo tied for the longest rush of the night, each registering a nine-yard run . . . Kincade did have three tackles on special teams. |
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August 5, 2006
Parcells said has been pleased with the development of running backs Tyson Thompson and Keylon Kincade so far in camp.
Thompson made the team as an undrafted free agent last season and became the Cowboys' kickoff returner. Parcells wants to give him some carries in preseason. "He's doing much better on the mental side of it as opposed to last year," Parcells said. "Of course that should be expected. He's in the second year in the system and I think he has a little more confidence." Parcells said Kincade is a "much-improved player" after spending two years on the Cowboys' practice squad. He's competing with Thompson for a roster spot behind Julius Jones and Marion Barber.
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May 31, 2006
Sometime-troubled running back Demetris Summers has signed an undrafted-free agent contract with the Cowboys. A former South Carolina Gamecock and the leading rusher in South Carolina high school history, Summers was dismissed by USC coach Steve Spurrier for violating university rules and had been arrested for drug possession. Still, his talent is undeniable, and was on display at the Cowboys rookie minicamp earlier in May, where Summers worked out for the coaches. Bill Parcells says Summers is on a short leash, however, as he looks to earn a roster spot, possibly competing with second-year back Tyson Thompson. |
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April 14, 2006
The Cowboys have now signed all of their exclusive rights free agents after inking fullback Lousaka Polite to a one-year deal on Thursday. The two-year veteran was the only fullback on the Cowboys roster in 2005, playing in 14 games. Polite had just two carries for eight yards, but caught nine passes for 72 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown against the Eagles.
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January 3, 2006
Running back Keylon Kincade was signed to a one-year deal following a full season spent on the Cowboys' practice squad. Kincade spent the spring of 2005 playing in NFL Europe for Cologne, finishing as the Centurions' second leading rusher with 105 carries for 352 yards (3.4 avg.) and five touchdowns. Kincade was named NFL Europe's offensive player of the week during Week 3 of the 2005 NFL Europe season. Kincade will likely be fighting fellow running back Tyson Thompson for the final running back slot on the depth chart this season. |
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December 24, 2005
Julius Jones ran for 194 yards Saturday, his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and the fourth of his career. The Cowboys are 3-1 when Jones rushes for over 100 yards. The 194 yards was the second-best rushing performance of his career and the fourth best day in Cowboys history . . . The 34 carries by Jones was a career-high and the second most in club history. Emmitt Smith holds the record with 35 carries against the N.Y. Giants (11/7/94). Smith also had a 34-carry game at Washington (11/24/91) . . .This was Jones second two-touchdown game of the season.
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December 19, 2005
Tyson Thompson continues to climb the rookie kickoff return charts. With six returns for 136 yards Sunday, he is now tied for the club record for most kickoff returns (47) by a rookie and is second in kickoff return yards by a rookie. Thompson needs only one more return to surpass James Dixon's (1989) season record. He is also just 57 yards behind Dixon's record of 1,181 kickoff return yards, set in 1989.
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November 15, 2005
Despite Julius Jones return from a high-ankle sprain, Marion Barber started for the second straight game. And while he rushed for just 46 yards, he did score his third touchdown of the season and his 26-yard run set up Bledsoe's 20-yard touchdown pass to Terry Glenn late in the fourth quarter . . . Barber finished the game with 46 rushing yards, while Jones had only16 yards on eight carries.
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November 4, 2005
Although Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said Julius Jones had a chance to return to practice on Friday, the second-year running back again missed the first portion of the morning practice. However, the Cowboys will have another light practice on Saturday before the team gets two days off for the bye weekend. Parcells said on Thursday that Jones is getting close to returning from a high-ankle sprain injury that has kept him out of the last three games. The coach also said he is expecting Jones to be ready for the Nov. 14 game in Philadelphia. Jones led the team in rushing for the first four games before suffering the injury in the first half against the Eagles on Oct. 9.
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October 22, 2005
Cowboys running back Julius Jones is not expected to play Sunday against the Seahawks, likely to miss his second straight game. Jones, who suffered a high ankle sprain two weeks ago against the Eagles, is listed as questionable on the injury report. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said he will make a decision Saturday night to name a starting running back against the Seahawks. But all three backs in contention - Anthony Thomas, Marion Barber and Tyson Thompson - are expected to play. Last year, Jones rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the Cowboys' dramatic 43-39 win over the Seahawks on Monday Night Football. Middle linebacker Dat Nguyen, who has missed two straight games with a neck injury, is listed as probable, but there is a chance he might not play Sunday against Seattle.
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October 16, 2005
Marion Barber wasn't figured to be an integral part of the running game, with Julius Jones out (high ankle sprain). But the fourth-round pick played mostly in the second half, rushing for 30 yards on 11 carries. He also had two catches for 21 yards. Barber showed some toughness in his ability to run through some tackles in the second half.
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October 13, 2005
Rookie running back Tyson Thompson was named the Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week on Thursday for his performance in last Sunday's 33-10 victory over the Eagles. With Julius Jones sidelined by a sprained left ankle, Thompson carried 20 times for 75 yards in the second half and averaged 29.0 yards on three kickoff returns. Other finalists included Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, Falcons punter Michael Koenen and Seahawks linebackers Leroy Hill and Lofa Tatupu. More than 22,500 people voted this week on NFL.com.
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October 11, 2005
While there seems to be legitimate concern over the sprained left ankle running back Julius Jones suffered near the end of the first half against Philadelphia, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seems somewhat optimistic he will be able to fight through the injury to play Sunday against the Giants. Jones, who had an MRI on the ankle Monday, seems to have suffered more than just a minor sprain, and the Cowboys will be anxious to see just what he can do on Wednesday, if anything, when the club returns to practice. His injury is more of a high ankle sprain, which usually is more serious and requires more time to recover from.
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October 9, 2005
Rookie running back Tyson Thompson not only set the tone with his 40-yard kickoff return to open the game, but spelled an banged-up Julius Jones (ankle) in the second half. Thompson ended up leading the team with a career-high 75 yards rushing on 20 carries . . . Thompson backed up Julius Jones, who had 72 rushing yards in the first half, before leaving the game with a minor leg injury. Jones said he will play next week against the Giants. |
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October 6, 2005
Anthony Thomas reportedly said it might be best for him to change teams if the Cowboys continue to keep him inactive on game day. But head coach Bill Parcells' reaction on Thursday suggested the four-year veteran isn't going anywhere. "That's the way it is nowadays," Parcells said. "If (a player's) personal situation isn't going the way they want, they say 'Get me out of here.' You couldn't do that years ago. You had to make the best of it. So, he'll have to make the best of it."
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October 3, 2005
Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said he would like Julius Jones to be more patient on his runs, but added the club's run blocking needs to improve. "We just haven't kind of sprung him yet, but I think he's doing OK," Parcells said. Jones had 22 carries for 76 yards against the Raiders and is averaging just 3.5 yards a carry after four games.
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October 3, 2005
The Cowboys used rookie running back Marion Barber as the third-down back, giving the fourth-round pick his largest dose of playing time of his young career. Barber also got two carries, resulting in just one yard. Barber was active for the first game, then inactive against Washington. And while he was active last week against the 49ers, Barber did not play. But he was more active Sunday, although the Cowboys were looking for more production.
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September 23, 2005
Running back Anthony Thomas was brought in by the Cowboys this off-season to spell Julius Jones, to give them a veteran backup at running back.
But after gaining just nine rushing yards in two games, an average of 1.8 yards-per-carry, and catching two passes for five yards, Thomas may find himself watching Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers from the sideline.
"I don't know," was Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells answer when asked if Thomas would get more carries on Sunday. "There's a chance I'll dress the other two guys this week." Those other two guys are rookies Marion Barber and Tyson Thompson, both capable of returning kickoffs and filling other special teams roles in addition to backing up Jones at running back.
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September 15, 2005
Other than his first game against Cleveland, when he had only five carries for 16 yards before suffering a shoulder injury, running back Julius Jones had his lowest-output of the season against the Redskins last year in Week 16. The Redskins held Jones to just 57 yards on 22 carries (2.6 average). Jones also fumbled once on the Redskins' 5, negating a scoring opportunity.
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September 4, 2005
The Cowboys kept four tailbacks on the 53-man roster roster, along with a fullback in second-year pro Lousaka Polite. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells already named Anthony Thomas the backup for Julius Jones, and said rookie Tyson Thompson has elevated past fourth-round pick Marion Barber on the depth chart. After Barber suffered an infection on his foot, which kept him out of the last two preseason games, Thompson has slid into the third running back role and likely will be among the 45-man active roster for the Sept. 11 season opener in San Diego . . . Jones led the running back with a 4.9 yard average during the preseason, leading the team with 193 rushing yards. Thomas had a 4.8 average and Thompson's average was 4.7, although the rookie from San Jose State and Irving, Texas native did have a team-high three touchdowns. |
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August 25, 2005
Rookie running back Marion Barber underwent minor surgery Tuesday night to clear up an infection caused by a blister on his left foot. Barber, who had 18 carries for 62 yards Monday against Seattle, will be re-evaluated next week, owner/general manager Jerry Jones said. Barber and Anthony Thomas got the bulk of the carries in the second half, relegating rookie running back Tyson Thompson to special teams duty.
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August 20, 2005
Anthony Thomas had only one carry for zero yards against Arizona on Aug. 13, but that should change against Seattle. "I'm gonna give him a little more on Monday night," said Parcells of the fifth-year veteran. Parcells is hoping for a committee of two or three running backs to emerge, but he has not quite figured out how Thomas fits into the mix.
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August 16, 2005
Head coach Bill Parcells knew the risk involved in playing Tyson Thompson last Saturday against Arizona. If the rookie runner performed well, he would likely end any chance the Cowboys had of potentially placing him on their practice squad. Thompson had a 10-carry, 64-yard performance against the Cardinals, but it was a risk worth taking for Parcells. He sounded as surprised as anyone of Thompson's rapid development in the backfield, saying the rookie has progressed mentally since mini-camps in May.
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August 14, 2005
Rookie Tyson Thompson had a big night against the Arizona Cardinals, rushing for 64 yards on 10 carries in the second half. Thompson, who was undrafted out of San Jose State, showed his incredible speed by routinely bouncing to the outside with ease . . . Starter Julius Jones had six carries for 10 yards against the Cardinals. He played in five series before Anthony Thomas took over.
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August 4, 2005
Erik Bickerstaff began camp rotating between fullback and running back, but the second-year back was switched fulltime to fullback Thursday afternoon. Head coach Bill Parcells said there is no guarantee the Cowboys will carry a fullback on their roster this season, but Bickerstaff seems to have a shot at the position with last year's starter, Darian Barnes, limited in practice because of an ankle injury, and especially if he can play both positions and make an impact on special teams.
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August 1, 2005
Considering the Cowboys entered training camp stacked at running back, it seemed like Tyson Thompson's chances of making anything more than the practice squad were somewhere between slim and none. But that outlook has changed after his performance the first few days of camp, which has included a number of breathtaking runs that have highlighted his speed outside and quickness to the hole. While the rookie runner may be caught in the numbers game - Julius Jones, Anthony Thomas and Marion Barber are on the team, after all - Thompson is giving the Cowboys something to think about.
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May 3, 2005
The Cowboys beefed up their running back position even more on Monday, signing former Bears veteran Anthony Thomas to a one-year deal. The addition of Thomas gives the Cowboys more size and depth at running back, a position head coach Bill Parcells said he wanted to address in the off-season.
Thomas was an unrestricted free agent and deemed expendable by the Bears, who just drafted Texas running back Cedric Benson and signed Thomas Jones to a four-year deal before last season.
Thomas, rushed for just 404 yards on 122 carries with only two touchdowns. Thomas backed up Jones for most of the season, but did start games, including an 110-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Giants.
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April 27, 2005
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said veteran running back Richie Anderson, who underwent anterior cervical surgery last week to repair a ruptured disk in his neck, would not be playing for the Dallas Cowboys during the 2005 season. Jones did not say Anderson had decided to retire from football after 12 seasons, just that he would not be playing for the Cowboys. |
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December 9, 2004
The awards have been piling up for rookie running back Julius Jones, who took home two more on Thursday . . . Jones' 17-yard game-winning touchdown run Monday night in Seattle earned Levitra Play of the Week honors, edging four other top-play nominees from this past Sunday as voted by the fans . . . Jones, who also was named the Snickers Hungriest Player for his 198-yard rushing performance against the Seahawks, also won the FedEx Air & Ground Player of the week award, along with Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer . . . Jones was also a finalist for NFC Offensive Player of the Week, which was given to Donovan McNabb, and Pepsi Rookie of the Week, won by Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger. |
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December 7, 2004
By rushing for 198 yards, third-most in Cowboys history, and three touchdowns, including the game-winner in the final 35 seconds, rookie tailback Julius Jones is gaining much attention for his performance in Seattle . . . Jones has been nominated for three separate awards and already won one, the Snickers Hungriest Player. Jones has a chance to win the Pepsi Rookie of the Week, FedEx Ground Player of the Week and his 17-yard score in the fourth quarter is one of five finalists for Levitra Play of the Week. |
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November 29, 2004
Rookie running back Julius Jones, making his second-consecutive start after returning from a fractured shoulder blade, rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries last Thursday against the Chicago Bears. Jones' 150 rushing yards were the most by a Cowboys running back since Troy Hambrick gained 189 in a 27-0 victory over the Washington Redskins last December. Eddie George, the primary rusher in Jones' absence, had a season-low three carries for the second-consecutive week. |
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November 17, 2004
Cowboys rookie running back Julius Jones returned to practice Wednesday, after missing the last seven games with a broken shoulder blade. Although Jones is listed as out for Sunday's game in Baltimore, at least the Cowboys will have their top draft pick back on the field and expect the rookie from to Notre Dame to provide a spark to the running game when he does officially return to action. |
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October 14, 2004
It seems everyone is wondering why Cowboys running back ReShard Lee isn't getting more carries. Everyone but Lee, that is. The first-year back said he is not worried about his limited role in the offense and added his time will come. Lee has given the Cowboys a spark in the running game despite few opportunities in the first four games. Lee leads all backs with a 5.2-yard average, rushing for 88 yards on 17 carries. He also leads the team with a 21.9 kickoff return average, including two returns of 35 yards or more. |
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October 10, 2004
The Cowboys' lackluster running game finally thrived Sunday against the Giants, totaling 166 yards on 30 carries (5.4 yards per carry). Sunday's performance alone almost doubled the team's season rushing average of 84 yards. Eddie George had his best game as a Cowboy, rushing for 75 yards on 15 carries, including a 24-yard dash in the second quarter. "We came out today and decided to run," George said. "We've worked hard the last two weeks to get it going. We established the run pretty well, and we just have to continue to get better at it." . . . Sunday's game was the first time this season the Cowboys have rushed for more than 100 yards, and it was the team's best rushing performance since gaining 222 yards against the Redskins last December.
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September 30, 2004
The Cowboys have yet to get things going on the ground this season, rushing for a team-high 126 yards against Cleveland, and don't have a 100-yard rushing effort in three games. In fact, Eddie George has the team-high with 62 yards against the Browns in Week Two. George also leads the Cowboys with two rushing touchdowns . . . First-year back ReShard Lee has 60 yards rushing on 13 carries, including a touchdown against the Vikings. Lee does lead all Cowbosy running backs with his 4.6 yard average per carry . . . Of course, linebacker Dexter Coakley will probably lead the team in average this season with 33-yard run on a fake punt against Cleveland. |
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September 21, 2004
While running back Julius Jones will miss at least two months with a fractured left shoulder blade, the Cowboys likely will not add another running back to the 53-man roster and won't decide whether to place Jones on injured reserve at least until after the Oct. 3 bye week, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday . . . The Cowboys took a look at Aveion Cason again, but decided against re-signing the third-year vet . . . And after losing rookie Ran Carthon from the practice squad, the rookie signing with the Colts, the Cowboys replaced him with rookie RB Derrick Knight, who played at Boston College last year. |
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September 14, 2004
After all the talk of how the Cowboys would divide the carries this off-season, who would've thought ReShard Lee scores the first rushing touchdown of the season. But the first-year pro gave the Cowboys a spark in the third quarter Sunday, returning a kickoff 62 yards, and then finishing off the remaining 31 yards himself on the ground with four carries . . . Rookie second-round pick Julius Jones did not play after failing to convince Bill Parcells during the week he was ready to play after battling a chest contusion and bruised ribs . . . The debut for Eddie George wasn't too exciting, as he rushed for just 25 yards on eight carries, despite making his 129th consecutive start.
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September 10, 2004
The Cowboys will head up to Minnesota Sunday afternoon and while the game plan will probably be to run the football and control as much field position and game clock as possible, it has not been determined just who will be doing the majority of the running . . . Rookie Julius Jones has practiced this week, despite sore ribs and even declared himself ready to play, but head coach Bill Parcells has not announced his decision yet . . . If the rookie doesn't go, expect the Cowboys to use a heavy dose of Eddie George, Richie Anderson and possibly even ReShard Lee. |
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August 29, 2004
While many Cowboys fans want to know just who will be the starting running back this season, head coach Bill Parcells said he's not concerned by who lines up first in the backfield between Eddie George and rookie Julius Jones . . . While George has received the first two starts of the preseason and could get his third Monday against his former Tennessee teammates, Parcells said both Jones and George will both play throughout the season . . . The coach also said three different backs will get carries each game, and that he's not necessarily referring to veteran fullback Richie Anderson as the third back . . . Once again, don't count out first-year pro ReShard Lee, who has been impressive both as a tailback, but also on special teams. |
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August 22, 2004
Eddie George rushed for just 28 yards on six carries, but broke off a 23-yard run on a third-and-one in the first quarter . . . Rookie Julius Jones started off slow, but finished the game with 56 yards on 14 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. Jones now has rushed for 113 yards on 22 carries (5.1 yards per carry).
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August 15, 2004
Veteran Eddie George started the game Saturday in Houston, but his carries were limited. He rushed just five times for 12 yards, playing only the first two series . . . George was followed by ReShard Lee, who showed a quick burst into the hole, rushing for 25 yards on four carries. He also caught a 10-yard screen pass. . . But the most impressive was rookie Julius Jones, who didn't play until the late third quarter. But the second-round pick rushed for 57 yards on eight carries, including a 16-yard run in the fourth. |
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August 8, 2004
Eddie George worked with the first-team offense during the scrimmage, and looked rather impressive despite it being just a "stand-up" scrimmage with no tackling. George showed good vision and quickness at the line of scrimmage, escaping a few defenders in the open field . . . George starting with the first team wasn't a big shock, but seeing ReShard Lee, and not rookie Julius Jones, get reps with the second-team was surprising. Lee ran well and continued to show off his impressive speed and agility . . . Jones worked with the third-team at first, then later received reps with all three quarterbacks under center.
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August 2, 2004
With Eddie George getting more acquainted in the offense, questions are already starting to surface about the distribution of carries. While Bill Parcells didn't give exact numbers, he did give some hints on how he would like to divide the snaps once the regular season begins. His first goal is to get the team more than 30 carries. Last year, the Cowboys were 9-1 when the surpassed that mark as a team. And if the Cowboys can do that, he sees anywhere from 25 to 30 between George and rookie Julius Jones, with another five or so to Richie Anderson. He added the flow of the game and the success by all of the backs will ultimately determine just how many carries each player will receive.
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July 23, 2004
The Cowboys on Friday afternoon officially announced the signing of Eddie George, a four-time Pro Bowler, to a one-year deal worth $2.2 million, including a $1.54 million signing bonus, along with his $660,000 minimum base salary.But simply looking at George's numbers would suggest he is a running back on the decline. He averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last year while gaining 1,031 yards and scoring only five touchdowns. While those season totals were some of the lowest of his career, he once again started all 16 games for the Titans, increasing his consecutive-games-started streak to 128. George has never missed a start since the day he was drafted. Ask him how much he can still give the Cowboys, and George has a quick answer. "I think I have plenty left. I think the situation in Tennessee was one that changed from a run-oriented offense to a passing attack, which pretty much means I didn't get a lot of the touches I had in the past, and I think that's helping me out a lot right now. I'm not looking to try and carry the ball 45 times here. I'm looking to be the power back that I can be, looking to add to the Dallas attack and running up the yards just like I always have." So don't expect George to slide right into the starting RB spot and carry the bulk of the load. George makes sense as a solid contributor to the running game, and more importantly, to bring in as a mentor to a rather green group of running backs. |
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June 16, 2004
More than a year removed from the Emmitt Smith era and the Cowboys are still looking for their starting running back. Troy Hambrick, who rushed for just 972 yards, was not the answer last year, and was released this off-season.
And that move opens the door for rookie Julius Jones. The second-round pick from Notre Dame was the Cowboys' top choice among rookie backs, although passing up on Kevin Jones and Steven Jackson drew much criticism.
But with last year's starter out of the picture, it appears the Cowboys are ready to give Jones the opportunity to take over.
If he can't carry the full load, expect veteran fullback Richie Anderson to be more involved in the running game. He had just 70 carries last year, but Parcells said the 12-year pro will carry the ball more this year.
The Cowboys wanted to see more from Erik Bickerstaff, but a torn Achilles injury, suffered in a June mini-camp, required surgery and forced him onto injured reserve for the entire season.
The Cowboys will look to speedsters ReShard Lee and Aveion Cason for a spark on third-downs, along with help in the return game.
At fullback, Anderson will still be in the mix, but the Cowboys will likely only keep one spot for either Jamar Martin or Darian Barnes, whom they acquired in a draft-day trade from Tampa Bay. |
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| Recent Reports |
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Offensive Line: June 25, 2008 |
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Offensive Line: June 19, 2008 |
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Defensive Line: June 17, 2008 |
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Defensive Line: June 11, 2008 |
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Quarterbacks: June 5, 2008 |
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Linebackers: June 4, 2008 |
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Defensive Backs: May 27, 2008 |
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Linebackers: May 23, 2008 |
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Offensive Line: May 14, 2008 |
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Defensive Backs: May 4, 2008 |
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