{"id":50346,"date":"2025-05-23T01:04:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T01:04:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346"},"modified":"2025-05-23T01:04:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T01:04:56","slug":"breaking-cowboys-fortify-backfield-with-17-million-rb-from-afc-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"l-article__header\"><\/header>\n<div class=\"l-article__meta\">\n<div class=\"l-article__meta-item l-article__meta-item--dates\">\n<ul class=\"c-meta c-meta--post c-meta--list c-meta--dates\">\n<li class=\"c-meta__item c-meta__item--updated\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"l-article__content\">\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\">\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div class=\"h-responsive\">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive__inner\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2190770028-e1747686953409.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2190770028-e1747686953409.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2190770028-e1747686953409.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2190770028-e1747686953409.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Gus Edwards\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" data-img-load-time=\"762\" data-dom-ready-time=\"1058\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"c-post-image-caption-text\">Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are a lot of times when players just get stuck in the wrong spot at the wrong times \u2014 such is the case of running back\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nfl\/player\/gus-edwards\/\">G<\/a>us Edwards.<\/p>\n<p>Edwards spent the first 6 seasons of his career with the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens\u00a0and rushed for over 700 yards each of his first 3 seasons. When Edwards finally would have had the chance to become the lone featured running back after\u00a0J.K. Dobbins\u00a0tore his ACL in the final preseason game before the 2021 season, Edwards tore his ACL just 4 days before the regular season opener.<\/p>\n<p>While Edwards bounced back with 810 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns in 2023, it wasn\u2019t enough to keep him around in Baltimore but it did land him a\u00a02-year, $6.5 million contract with the\u00a0Los Angeles Chargers\u00a0in March 2024 that brought his career earnings to approximately $17 million.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_1_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-1 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_1\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Now set up to be the featured back for the Chargers, Edwards ran into more bad luck when he was benched in favor of Dobbins \u2014\u00a0yes, he came to the same team\u00a0\u2014 and struggled with injuries late in the year.<\/p>\n<p>Edwards should have enough gas in the tank to make an impact on an NFL roster. With his value at an all time low in terms of salary, the\u00a0Dallas Cowboys\u00a0and their underwhelming backfield might be the best landing place for him.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_2_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-2 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_2\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>What Edwards Might Bring to the Cowboys<\/h2>\n<p>While Edwards might not have the juice to be a featured back anymore \u2014 if he ever did \u2013 the best bet for a team like the Cowboys might be to add Edwards on a 1-year contract on hope success comes in the form of a viable, running back-by-committee approach.<\/p>\n<p>More to that end, the Cowboys actually don\u2019t need their running backs to be superstars right now. They just need them to be competent in short-yardage situations and provide spot relief for a a team that should operate at a high level throwing the ball if all parties involved are healthy \u2014 quarterback\u00a0Dak Prescott\u00a0is returning from a season-ending hamstring injury and has 3 high profile targets to throw to in NFL All-Pro wide receiver\u00a0CeeDee Lamb, newly acquired wide receiver\u00a0George Pickens\u00a0and Pro Bowl tight end\u00a0Jake Ferguson.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_3_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-3 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_3\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Adding someone like Edwards, who is willing to stay in the pocket and block, could prove to be a deft move.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ac6dfb1af5e4e7a25383af77ba198142\" class=\"embed_container\">\n<div class=\"tweet-container\">\n<article class=\"tweet-container_article\">\n<div class=\"tweet-container_header \">\n<div class=\"tweet-header__author tweet-header__author--verified\">\n<div class=\"tweet-header__meta\">@EmmanuelAcho\u00b7Follow<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tweet-header-brand\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tweet-body\">\n<p>The unsung hero of the Ravens touchdown was <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/35?src=hashtag_click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow external\">#35<\/a> Gus Edwards\u2026 His refusal to lose is what made this play possible! \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tweet-media tweet-media--1\">\n<div class=\"tweet-media__container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Rookie RB Could Shake Things Up for Cowboys<\/h2>\n<p>There is one X-factor who could make Edwards or free agent running back\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nfl\/player\/javonte-williams\/\">J<\/a>avonte Williams\u00a0afterthoughts \u2014\u00a0rookie Jaydon Blue.<\/p>\n<p>ESPN\u2019s Mike Clay\u00a0called Blue, a fifth round pick (No. 149 overall) out of Texas,\u00a0 the \u201cWild Card\u201d for the Dallas offense in 2025.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_4_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-4 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_4\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Blue scored 18 touchdowns in 3 seasons at Texas \u2014 11 rushing and 7 receiving \u2014 with 14 of those touchdowns coming in 2024 as he put up 1,098 yards of total offense.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, he also helped lead the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Blue followed that up by running the 40-yard dash in a\u00a0blazing, 4.38 seconds\u00a0at the NFL scouting combine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBlue will begin his career behind newly acquired veterans Javonte Williams\u00a0and\u00a0Miles Sanders, but neither have played well in recent seasons, so this depth chart is wide open,\u201d Clay wrote on May 16. \u201cThe lead back role in Dallas is there for the taking.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_5_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-5 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_5\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"l-article__author-bio\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getty Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards. There are a lot of times when players just get stuck in the wrong spot at the wrong times&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Getty Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards. There are a lot of times when players just get stuck in the wrong spot at the wrong times...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-23T01:04:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1206\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1395\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346\",\"name\":\"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West - 24\/7 News America\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-23T01:04:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-23T01:04:56+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg\",\"width\":1206,\"height\":1395},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"24\/7 News America\",\"description\":\"Breaking Stories, Real Insights&quot;\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914\",\"name\":\"Admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Admin\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?author=2\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West - 24\/7 News America","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West - 24\/7 News America","og_description":"Getty Los Angeles Chargers running back Gus Edwards. There are a lot of times when players just get stuck in the wrong spot at the wrong times...","og_url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346","og_site_name":"24\/7 News America","article_published_time":"2025-05-23T01:04:56+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1206,"height":1395,"url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346","url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346","name":"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West - 24\/7 News America","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg","datePublished":"2025-05-23T01:04:56+00:00","dateModified":"2025-05-23T01:04:56+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/498715295_122133004700645448_335.jpg","width":1206,"height":1395},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=50346#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"BREAKING: Cowboys Fortify Backfield With $17 Million RB From AFC West"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/","name":"24\/7 News America","description":"Breaking Stories, Real Insights&quot;","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4fd584257b8aaef08c4e2bc73ee6a914","name":"Admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ab07af1f129ef9c67f3a58e6273eac4d8eb51a1cb066ea995eb6d5f03eceb61b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Admin"},"url":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?author=2"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=50346"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50349,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50346\/revisions\/50349"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/50348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=50346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=50346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=50346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}