What do Dallas Cowboys have at RB behind Tony Pollard following Ronald Jones suspension?
The NFL has suspended Dallas Cowboys running back Ronald Jones on Monday for the first two regular-season games for violating the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances.
Jones is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games. He will be allowed to return to the Cowboys’ active roster on Sept. 18, following the team’s Week 2 game against the New York Jets.
It has put Jones’ future on the Cowboys in jeopardy and has the team wondering about the depth at running back behind starter Tony Pollard.
When the Cowboys cut two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott in March and elevated Pollard to the role of the featured back, the team signed the six-year veteran Jones to give them an experienced option.
Jones ran 17 times for 70 yards and a touchdown in six games with the Kansas City Chiefs last season. Jones ran 488 times for 2,174 yards and 18 touchdowns in four seasons with the Tampa Buccaneers.
But with Jones suspended, the Cowboys will have to rely on Malik Davis, Rico Dowdle and rookie sixth-round pick Deuce Vaughn.
Davis is the most experienced of the group after logging 38 carries for 161 yards as undrafted rookie behind Elliott and Pollard in 2022.
Dowdle had seven carries for 24 yards in 2020 but has battled injury woes the past two seasons.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy named Dowdle and Vaughn personally as guys they need to get involved in the run game.
”I’ll tell you I’m loving Rico,” McCarthy said. “It was great to have him back on the league. He’s taking that jump that you’re looking for. Obviously, we got to we got to get Deuce. I think that’s important.”
The NFL official statement about Jones’ suspension:
Ronald Jones of the Dallas Cowboys has been suspended without pay for the first two games of the 2023 regular season for violating the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances.
Jones is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games. He will be allowed to return to the Cowboys’ active roster on Monday, Sept. 18, following the team’s Week 2 game vs. the New York Jets.
This story was originally published July 31, 2023 at 4:09 PM.
