Trade for Jonathan Taylor? Why Jerry Jones, Cowboys are more excited about Deuce Vaughn
When the Indianapolis Colts granted running back Jonathan Taylor permission to seek a trade, the Dallas Cowboys appeared on a number lists of possible destinations.
Former Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears, now an ESPN analyst, said his former team should look into trading for Taylor.
It’s not that the Cowboys need a starting running back. They have a Pro Bowl back in Tony Pollard.
It’s because it’s the Cowboys, who are owned by Jerry Jones.
And both are always in the news and linked to high-profile players.
Never mind that one reason that Taylor and the Colts are at an impasse is that they can’t agree on a contract extension.
Taylor wants top dollar in a depressed market for running backs and the Colts want a first-round draft pick in return.
And one reason the Cowboys are comfortable with the young backs behind Pollard is because he is playing the 2023 season the franchise tag of $10.1 million.
So Jones likes what he’s seen from Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis and Deuce Vaughn behind Pollard.
Does that rule out a run at Taylor?
“I should and I do look at any and every opportunity that is out there,” Jones said. “You have to be judicious. You have to make your choice of what’s best for you. The way our young backs are playing I’m very comfortable with where we are with our backs right now.
“So without getting into specifically addressing a player, him or any other running back, I think we saw some good things the other night. We’ve seen some good things in training camp. I feel good about our running back position if we didn’t add anybody.”
But Jones added the qualifier about always being open for business to improve the team.
“Don’t preclude us not adding somebody because you got cuts, you got cut downs and certainly we’ve not closed the running back position just as we wouldn’t with any position when you’re looking at who might be available from this point forward,” Jones said.
Added someone after final cuts is different than trading for Taylor, rewarding him with a big contract while also meeting the Colts asking price.
As for the team’s running back position, the Cowboys are quite happy with Pollard as the featured back one season after he tallied career highs with 1,378 yards from scrimmage to go along with 12 touchdowns.
He’s rushed for 5.1 yards per carry over his four-year career.
Dowdle is the favorite to win the primary backup job. He has had the strongest training camp preseason of all the contenders.
“I love his running style,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “He runs angry. He pass-protects with a lot of urgency. He sticks his nose in there.”
Davis was the third back last season behind Pollard and the departed Ezekiel Elliott.
But he could be the odd man out in 2023.
He has had a strong preseason but it pales in comparison to Dowdle and Vaughn, a rookie sixth-round draft pick and fan favorite, demands a spot on the roster with the electricity and big-play potential.
The 5-foot-5 Vaughn has rushed for 64 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries in two preseason games.
“He’s got a very unique problem for tacklers,” Jones said. “It’s unique. Its effective and we’ve all seen it up to this point on how it can be effective at this level. He’s very unique in making them miss. We should incorporate him in everything that we can do to win. And that doesn’t mean he’s going to be out here carrying the ball 30 times a game at all. He’s very capable of uniquely doing things out there that’s the best way for us to try to get first downs or the best way for us to score it is. I’m impressed with how unique he is as anybody we’ve had through here.”
It all leaves no room for Taylor.
This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 6:25 AM.
