NFL free agency is off to a flying start.
Monday marks the start of the official window in which all teams can communicate with free agents, though many of those free agents have already re-signed with the teams they played for last season.
The Dallas Cowboys have partaken in one of those early signings with an extension for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa. But they have yet to tip their hand as to whether they want to bring back their starting running back.
Rico Dowdle was thrust into starting duties in 2024, and after a mediocre start, he found his form down the stretch. But were the last seven weeks a flash in the pan, or a sign Dowdle is now a reliable first-stringer moving into the next few seasons?
Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut recently predicted the future destinations of several NFL stars, and tabbed Dowdle as a fit for the Las Vegas Raiders, whose need for a running back may even outweigh that of the Cowboys.
“The Las Vegas Raiders could take Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick, but the more cost-effective starter could also come from NFL free agency. Rico Dowdle is an excellent option,” Johnson wrote.
“He’s got good size – 6-foot and 215 pounds – and can do a little work as a pass-catching threat. Plus, signing him would still enable Las Vegas to draft a RB, just on Day 2 instead of at No. 6 overall.”
Dowdle, 26, rushed for 1,078 yards and totaled 1,328 yards in 17 games last season, totaling five touchdowns, including three through the air. His three seasons on the bench could actually be an advantage of sorts–he has far less wear and tear than some of his contemporaries of a similar age.
Spotrac currently projects a one-year, $6.2 million contract for Dowdle. That should be easy enough for any team to avoid, but if a desperate Las Vegas team ups the ante a bit, it’s quite possible Johnson’s prediction will come to fruition.
More NFL: 49ers $7 million star predicted to defect to Texans in free agency