The Dallas Cowboys have DeMarco Murray set to hit the market in free agency and if the team loses him, names like Adrian Peterson, Mark Ingram and CJ Spiller could be potential replacements and this comes as the Cowboys could target names like Todd Gurley, Melvin Ingram or TJ Yeldon in the upcoming NFL draft.
The Cowboys have Murray and Dez Bryant set to come off the books this offseason and with Bryant getting the franchise tag, he likely isn't going anywhere. The Cowboys want to keep Murray as well, but they feel comfortable allowing him to hit the market this offseason. The running back position has been devalued in recent years and with Murray having an injury history, he may not get the money he is expecting on the market.
The Cowboys are counting on that, as he likely would re-sign with the team for slightly less if he doesn't get massive money on the market. Murray has injury issues in the past and has only played in one full season in his career. While Murray had his best season last year, many teams likely will be worried about his heavy workload, as most RBs take a step back after touching the ball over 400 times in one season. Murray 1845 yards last season to lead the league and he likely will be targeted by teams like the Raiders, Browns and Colts on the market.
Adam Schefter at ESPN writes that the team may ask Peterson to restructure his deal or to take a pay decrease to get his salary cap number down and if he says no, a move could be made. Fans may not be happy about that, but if it's framed with the Vikings wanting to keep him and Peterson not taking a pay cut, they could come out looking okay on the other end. Last week reports came out that Peterson had requested a trade to the Cowboys and while that was not confirmed, many have reported that both sides have interest.
According to the Dallas Morning News, if the team loses Murray, they may target Adrian Peterson, Frank Gore or Mark Ingram as potential options to replace him. Peterson could get released this year or traded, while Gore and Ingram are on the market and may not sign back with their current teams. Murray played in all 16 games last season, but that was the first time he had ever done that and he likely is due for some regression after touching the ball over 400 times last year. Gurley, Melvin Gordon, Ameer Abdullah, TJ Yeldon and Duke Johnson are all entering the draft and could be potential targets for Jason Garrett and Tony Romo.
Gordon had a fantastic season and could be the first back off the board after Gordon rushed for over 2500 yards and scored 29 touchdowns for Wisconsin. Abdullah is also expected to be a top target, as he had over 1600 yards and scored 19 touchdowns for Nebraska. Johnson is coming off of a season with 242 carries for 1652 yards and 10 touchdowns.