Cowboys “Lead Dog” Runner Could Vary From Week to Week

The Cowboys could very well use a stable of runners to try to replace DeMarco Murray in 2015

The Dallas Cowboys will go into training camp unsure who will serve as the starting running back, but they feel good about what they have at the position, particularly the trio of Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle and Lance Dunbar.

We’re very confident in what we have,” said Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown, per the Dallas Morning News. “We got some very good football players. With the addition of Darren it’s going to be a nice group. I can’t say who is going to be the lead dog right now, but those guys are going to compete and we’re going to do what’s necessary to win games.

“I think we have three capable guys who can go out and do what we need to do. I’m not concerned about it at all.”

Where last year, it was no secret that the running game was on DeMarco Murray’s shoulders week in and week out, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan suggested earlier this offseason that the “lead dog,” to use Brown’s term, could vary from week to week for the 2015 edition of the Cowboys.

“I just think that we have a complementary backfield,” Linehan said. “They’re going to spread out the carries. Some games are going to be different than others. Maybe one guy is going to have more in one game than the other or maybe sometimes two guys are going to split the carries, sometimes it’s going to be three. Again, it’s to be determined. It is a bit rare to have the one guy carry all the load. I tip my hat to DeMarco for being able to do it. But these other guys have different roles now that he’s gone. We’re going to have someone step up, and I know they’re excited about it.”

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