The Dallas Cowboys could be an ideal landing spot for a young running back.
As Blogging The Boys’ Dan Rogers suggests in his five running backs that the Cowboys should consider trading for, he mentions the New Orleans Saints‘ Kendre Miller as one of those players. The 22-year-old was a third-round draft pick of the Saints last season. However, he finds himself likely buried on the depth chart with Alvin Kamara back in the fold and Jamaal Williams still on the roster.
To top it all off, Rogers mentions how the Cowboys showed interest in the former TCU running back during a pre-draft visit last year.
“The Cowboys have already shown interest in him as he had a pre-draft visit last year,” writes Rogers. “Health will be a factor, but a young player with lots of tread left on the tire and three more years of a cheap rookie deal could pique the Cowboys’ interest.”
Kendre Miller Buried on Saints Depth Chart
Miller saw sporadic playing time during his rookie season while backing up Kamara and Williams, posting just 156 rushing yards and one touchdown while appearing in just 20% of the offensive snaps in the eight games he appeared in.
However, the Cowboys would represent a more open competition for Miller. He would have a legit shot at winning the starting job with no clear-cut starting running back established in the backfield. Miller would be competing with older veterans such as Ezekiel Elliott and Royce Freeman along with players who have never been starting running backs in the NFL in Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle.
Kendre Miller Ranked as One of Top RB’s in College in Senior Year
The 6-foot, 220-pound Miller was prolific while helping lead the TCU Horned Frogs to a National Championship Game appearance during the 2022 season. Miller ran for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns along with a 6.2 rushing average. He ranked eighth in the nation in rushing touchdowns and second in the Big 12 during the 2022 season. During the 2021 season, his 7.5 yards per carry — he ran for 623 yards on 83 carries — led the nation in rushing average.
At the current moment, Miller is competing with former undrafted free agent Jordan Mims for the third spot on the running back depth chart.
“The team signed veteran Jamaal Williams to a three-year deal last offseason and they still have Alvin Kamara under contract for two more years,” writes Rogers. “The team also likes what they’ve seen from last year’s undrafted free agent Jordan Mims who was believed to be in a battle for the RB3 spot with Miller. Making matters worse is that Miller injured his hamstring on the first day of training camp, putting his roster spot in jeopardy.”
While Miller is a former third-round draft pick, there is no way the Saints would recoup that value in a potential deal for him. The more likely scenario is a low draft pick — whether that’s a fifth or a sixth-round pick — would be sufficient in acquiring the 22-year-old running back via trade. Especially considering Miller could very well be on the way out if Mims ends up outcompeting him during training camp.
