Dallas Cowboys

Emmitt Smith: Cowboys are fine with what they've got at RB

Published May. 6, 2015 1:25 p.m. ET

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You might expect former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith to be a champion of investing in the position, but he said on Tuesday that he was fine with the team's decision to not draft any running backs. The Cowboys are currently set up with Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams at the position.

Smith has faith that McFadden and Randle will emerge from the pack and provide the team with an excellent option on every down.

“You know what? I am OK because Darren McFadden is a running back that you have to respect,” the NFL’s all-time leading rusher said during an interview on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “You got to remember, he played out in Oakland. Oakland doesn’t have what the Cowboys have. And so having an offensive line and having a quarterback like Tony Romo, and wide receivers, and a system that makes some daggone sense, he can become a better running back in this system.

McFadden's straight-line speed gives him an advantage over other runners when it comes to taking advantage of what is blocked for him. In Oakland, it was difficult to see this on display because the Raiders have fielded poor run blocking units for the last three season, according to Pro Football Focus' grades.

In McFadden’s breakout 2011 season, he operated behind a Raiders run-blocking unit that finished with a strong grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Over 13 games that season, McFadden racked up 1,157 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on just 223 carries – 5.2 yards-per-carry – and added 507 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 47 receptions.

The good news for McFadden is that he will be joining a dominant Cowboys run-blocking unit that will return all of its starters in 2015. In 2014, the Cowboys finished with Pro Football Focus' second-best run blocking unit. Every Cowboys running back also has the luxury of playing with Dez Bryant, who commands safety coverage over the top.

Smith believes that Randle could prove to be a nice addition in the rotation.

“And with Randle, you can have a nice one-two punch. One thing about McFadden, if he gets some of those running lanes that I saw DeMarco have last year, it’s on and popping, because he can take it to the house.”

If the Cowboys make no more moves at running back this offseason, we will have the opportunity to truly see what kind of impact the offensive line had on DeMarco Murray's breakout 2014 season.

(h/t Dallas Morning News)

Photo Credit: John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports