The Dallas Cowboys could still be in play for an Adrian Peterson trade with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason and this comes after DeMarco Murray left in free agency to sign for the Eagles and if the team doesn't trade for Peterson, they likely will look at players like Todd Gurley, TJ Yeldon, Melvin Gordon and Duke Johnson in the NFL draft.
The Cowboys have already signed Darren McFadden this offseason, but that may not be the only move they make at running back this year. The team lost Murray after he rushed for a career best 1800 yards and now they have MCFadden and Joseph Randle as their top two backs. ESPN Dallas reporter Todd Archer writes that the team will look for more depth at the position and they could look at the draft and one place to do that, while a trade for Peterson also remains a possibility.
The Cowboys were mentioned early on as a potential landing spot for Peterson, but now they may look at the draft as a better option. The Cowboys wanted to keep Murray, but with Dez Bryant coming off of a big year he had to be the priority and the team used the franchise tag is now working on a long term contract. ESPN Dallas reports that he was the top priority over the team signing back Murray for Jerry Jones.
The Cowboys had the cap room to sign both players, but it would have taken some maneuvering on the part of Jones, as the team is not looking to border right on the salary cap line again. Jean-Jacques Taylor at ESPN Dallas writes that the team could have asked Tony Romo to restructure his contract to free up some money and could also ask Brandon Carr about a pay cut. Peterson is 30 years old and while he has been very productive in his career, that is the age when most backs start breaking down. The team doesn't want to get caught up in another cap game over the next few years and that is why they likely will look at cheap options, including in the draft.
The contract has been the main issue with Peterson, as he is set to get paid over $12 million and cost $15 million on the salary cap. After getting rid of Murray, the Cowboys may not be interested in bringing in another running back that would take up a ton of cap space. According to CBS Sports, sources tell 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that the Cowboys "won't be pursuing" a deal for Peterson this offseason, as they see the draft as the best way to add depth at the position.
Todd Gurley is considered to be one of the best players coming out despite dealing with an injury last season, while ESPN reports that Melvin Gordon and Tevin Coleman are also getting attention from teams. Prospects are starting team visits and Gordon could be one of the first players taken at the position, as he comes in after rushing for over 2000 yards and adding nearly 30 touchdowns last season. Coleman had 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns and he averaged seven yards per carry, making him an explosive option at RB.