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By David Moore 8:58 PM on Apr 27, 2024 CDT FRISCO — The Cowboys didn't pick up a running back in this draft. But they do have quarterback Trey Lance. What does one have to do with the other? A lot the way this draft unfolded. Dallas sent its fourth-round pick to San Francisco for Lance before the regular season kicked off. Eight months later, the 49ers turned around and used that pick, No. 124, to take safety Malik Mustapha. Again, what does that have to do with the Cowboys ignoring what appears to be a crying need at running back? Four of the five players taken after Mustapha, and five of the next 10, were running backs. Four of those — Bucky Irving, Ray Davis, Isaac Guerendo and Braelon Allen — held an interest for the Cowboys. A run at the position was underway. "A lot of times, the question is will you really, really, really stick to your board,'' executive vice president Stephen Jones said. "If felt like every time the situation was there for us to make a pick and do the right thing, it wasn't at running back.'' Only four backs were taken in the first two days of the draft. When Dallas was back on the clock for the first time Saturday at No. 174, there were 16 backs off the board. Five were selected in the fifth round, the last in that group going immediately ahead of the Cowboys. Corner Caelen Carson was the pick for Dallas. He was actually in the conversation when the Cowboys took linebacker Marist Liufau late in the third round, two people with knowledge of the team's board told The Dallas Morning News. "We obviously had a group of running backs where there were 75 players we had to watch leave the board,'' Jones said. "We had a handful of backs who would have been backs we would have considered but it just didn't work out. "At the end of the day, you stay true to what you're about.'' Jones telegraphed this inactivity late Friday evening when he mentioned that the club had a chance to acquire a fourth- or fifth-round pick by moving back on all three of their selections in the second day of the draft. They chose to stay put because they didn't want to risk losing out on defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, offensive lineman Cooper Beebe or Liufau. To move back into the fourth or fifth round Saturday, the Cowboys would have needed to trade a pick from next year's draft. Jones indicated it's usually better to "sit on your hands and not do that.'' The exception: if a player stands out like a blinking light. Eric Scott did last year. The reason Dallas didn't have a fifth on Saturday was because it sent that pick to Kansas City in 2023 to acquire the Southern Mississippi corner in the sixth. None of the backs in this draft got that light blinking. Lance, unknowingly, hit the dimmer button. "We think Lance is a good addition looking ahead,'' owner Jerry Jones said. "I've got him right here in this draft as if he was as draft pick for us.'' What now? The Cowboys will employ a committee approach. At the moment, that group consists of Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke and Royce Freeman. The committee should swell soon as the organization welcomes back an old friend. Negotiations are underway with Ezekiel Elliott. Jerry Jones told reporters that the Cowboys are "keenly interested in looking what the future might look like with Zeke.'' He added that in his mind, Elliott is still capable of handling the lead role in a committee approach. Stephen Jones looked at his phone during the Cowboys post-draft press conference early Saturday evening, saying the team was actively working on signing some veteran players. He didn't mention Elliott by name. It was understood. "We'll have opportunities throughout to address this running back situation and feel like we'll get that done,'' Stephen Jones said. If Mike McCarthy was bothered by the club's inability to upgrade the running back room during the draft, it didn't show. "I like our group,'' the Cowboys head coach said. "I feel really good about where we are today. "And as Stephen stated, it's not over.'' Catch David Moore on Cowboys Happy Hour on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) on Tuesday night at 7 o'clock in April. Twitter/X: @DavidMooreDMN — Forget free agency. Dallas Cowboys need large impact from 2023, 2024 draft classes — Cowboys' Marshawn Kneeland has vital opportunity to watch, learn from DeMarcus Lawrence — What did Trey Lance have to do with Dallas Cowboys passing on RBs in 2024 NFL draft? — The Dallas Cowboys aren't just devaluing the RB position, they're giving up on the run — Cowboys 2024 undrafted free agent tracker: What talent has Dallas added after NFL draft? — Dallas Cowboys select Auburn DT Justin Rogers at No. 244 overall in 2024 NFL draft — 2024 NFL draft grades: Our experts evaluate Cowboys' Day 3 choices, new rookie class — Cowboys select Louisiana-Lafayette OT Nathan Thomas at No. 233 overall in 2024 NFL draft — Cowboys select Southeast Missouri State's Ryan Flournoy at No. 216 overall in NFL draft — Dallas Cowboys select Wake Forest CB Caelen Carson at No. 174 overall in 2024 NFL draft Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.More Day 3 coverage
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