At last, Cowboys’ entire backfield is in motion

The great Dallas Cowboys running back race is finally off and running, roughly three weeks after the start of training camp and despite calls on social media for them to add a high-profile veteran to the mix such as Ray Rice, Chris Johnson or Steven Jackson.

Darren McFadden’s presence in practice after missing the first 19 days of camp with a strained hamstring has given the Cowboys renewed hope the running battle competition between him, Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar will yield the desired result.

Someone will emerge and take hold of the starting job left open by the departure of 2014 NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray. And the group will carve defined roles to give the Cowboys a complete running game to build the offense around.

Still, the exasperating and constant chatter of a need for Rice, Johnson or some other so-called proven back has been tough to ignore.

“It can be hard sometimes, seeing all the different things everybody says on Twitter,” McFadden said. “It seems like everybody is a coach or general manager. That comes with social media. I control what I can control. It’s something I don’t pay attention to. I just go out there and work hard. I’m going to work hard regardless.”

McFadden is not the only one ignoring the outside chatter about the Cowboys’ running backs position.

So is owner and general manager Jerry Jones, the one voice that really counts.

Jones said the Cowboys are happy with the backs they have and there is no interest Rice or Johnson right now.

“The facts are that I felt all along that we’ve got a great opportunity with Dunbar, with certainly Randle and with McFadden,” Jones said. “We’ve got a great opportunity if we can keep those guys healthy as we go into the meat of our preseason, see some good work from them in the preseason games, then we’re getting to evaluate the backs that we’ve had months and months and months to evaluate these guys or the prospects of playing with them, so you can’t get nervous now.”

Now it’s time for the competition to commence.

Randle has been good and been going since the first day of camp.

Dunbar missed a week with sprained ankle, but he is back and ready to go.

There is no doubt the absence of McFadden was the disappointment. He came to the Cowboys in March, adding a veteran option to the mix.

He was also hoping for a fresh start after seven tough years in Oakland besieged by injuries.

He was slowed by a right hamstring injury in minicamp and injured the left hamstring before training camp.

“It’s very hard,” McFadden said. “I’m the type of guy I want to be out there hustling with my teammates and putting in the work with them. I hate to see those guys out there just sweating it out and I can’t get out there and help them. I want to be out there with them. So it’s very hard for me.

“But I’m out there now. So I’m just looking forward to being out there and hustling with them.”

Randle is certainly ahead because he has been on the field getting the reps. But the Cowboys are excited about the renewed competition. They want to see what McFadden can bring. They believe it will help Randle go to another level.

“Competition makes everybody great,” running backs coach Gary Brown said. “Now that there is some competition out here you are going to see some ‘hellified’ running. We were all frustrated. We wanted them to be out here in full strength. But they are here now. We are happy to have them. We are going to keep moving forward.”

The goal has always been to get the group ready for the Sept. 13 season opener against the New York Giants.

So the three-week delay on the running back competition is no big deal to the Cowboys. They feel they have enough time left in camp and the preseason. They are just happy to have all the backs finally healthy.

Jones is certainly ready to see if one of the backs will take ownership of the position.

“I think we’ll see,” Jones said. “I haven’t worried about it because I felt that we were going to see it, have an opportunity to see it at the right places and this is a good time as any. This will be a good week. We’ll be able to take a good look certainly at these backs.

“As far as I’m concerned we’re right on schedule as far as having a back or backs ready to go for the New York Giants. I’m not anxious in any way.”

This story was originally published August 16, 2015 at 6:39 PM with the headline "At last, Cowboys’ entire backfield is in motion."