The Dallas Cowboys have tried to stay committed to a balanced offense as the run game was a focus in the preseason. DeMarco Murray was expected to be the premier back for the team, assisting in taking pressure off Tony Romo. However, Murray's season has not mirrored those expectations and a recent injury has the Cowboys uncertain of the future.
Murray is currently expected to miss several weeks after injuring his MCL. The forced the Cowbyos to start Jospeh Randle who looked impressive in place of the starter. The rookie put up 65 yards on 19 carries as the Cowboys went on to beat NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. The performance was enough to please the coaches and Randle.
"It felt really good and I got more comfortable as the game progressed," Randle said, via ESPNDallas.com. "First half was a little slow but then we got moving well on offense. I think I ran the ball well North to South down the field but there are always things you would like to do better."
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Cowboys are no longer sold as Murray being the franchise running back the team has been desperate to attain. While there are no indications that Randle will be that player, the Cowboys are starting to believe that Murray's future in Dallas might be short-lived.
As the trade deadline is quickly approaching in the coming week, Rapoport is noting the Cowboys are discussing an upgrade in the position "possibly in a big way." This season has already seen top draft pick Trent Richardson get traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Indianapolis Colts. There is certainly a possibility that Dallas could be the next team to make a move.
Murray has been a solid running back option since being drafted in 2011. So far on the season, the running back has 428 yards and three scores, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. However, his health is the main reason a trade is being discussed. In his first two seasons with the team, Murray missed nine games total and could be out up to four weeks with his current knee injury. That has owner Jerry Jones worried about the future since the Cowboys are on track to make the postseason.
Jones is certainly the type of owner that would pull off a big trade right before the deadline. Having a healthy running back capable of a heavy work load is crucial with Romo at quarterback. The Cowboys have just Randle and Phillip Tanner to handle the position. Despite a nice performance from the backup, a trade seems highly likely at this point.
