NFL Rumors: Cowboys Trading Darren McFadden Due to Surplus in Running Backs

Sep 01, 2016 11:34 AM EDT

According to NFL sources, the Dallas Cowboys are receiving a lot of calls discussing a potential trade involving Darren McFadden. Given the current number of running backs on the team's roster, the Cowboys could entertain these calls and trade the 29-year-old athlete.

As noted by NFL insider Ian Rapaport, a lot of teams in the NFL are interested in taking away McFadden from the Cowboys. However, despite the offers being thrown at the Dallas organization, it seems the team is keen on retaining him in the lineup.

Keeping him, however, could eventually hurt McFadden's stats and value as a professional football player. For one, the bench for the Cowboys' running backs is already pretty crowded.

Currently, they have Ezekiel Elliot, who is the team's starter. They also have Alfred Morris, Lance Dunbar and Darius Jackson, according to 247 Sports.

All of these athletes, including McFadden, have their own unique traits and abilities that could lead the Cowboys to the playoffs in the upcoming season. Since many of them will probably be the team's starters, that means McFadden will spend most of his time next season sitting on a bench.

If these athlete are able to maintain their health and physical condition in the upcoming games, McFadden's playing time will significantly decrease this year. This means if he gets signed by another team, he'll probably not get a huge contract due to his back-up status.

So, for McFadden, getting traded to a different team will most likely be a good thing for him. The problem, however, is that the Dallas franchise has no plans of letting him go. As pointed out by End Zone, keeping McFadden in the lineup will ensure that the Cowboys will have a healthy supply of running backs in case one of their starters gets injured or suspended.

Keeping McFadden as a backup is also a smart move by the Cowboys because aside from the talented running backs they have on their roster, making him a starter right now is still a risky decision. That's because during the Memorial Day weekend, McFadden suffered an injury to his elbow and had to undergo surgery earlier in June.