The Dallas Cowboys struggled in the running game last season and that is one reason why a trade for LaMichael James or Mark Ingram could be in the cards before the season starts, as DeMarco Murray and Tony Romo need more support and consistency in the offense for 2014 and after the draft those could be options, as names like Michael Bush and Ronnie Brown are the top of the heap of the free agent market.
The Cowboys finished in the bottom half of the league last season in rushing and while Murray had the best year of his career, the Cowboys need more from him and the position as a whole. The team likes Joseph Randle and Philip Tanner, but Jerry Jones could use to bring more experience and hard running into the fold with Murray and players like James or Ingram could fit the mold of what they need. The team ranked 24th in the league in rushing yards per game last season despite Murray going for 1,121 yards and with James being shopped and Ingram not having his option picked up, they are players that could be acquired.
The Eagles looked like a prime option for James for a while since his connections to Chip Kelly go back to Oregon, but the team traded for Darren Sproles to fill that need and now James still remains with the 49ers. While James did not get the chance to contribute much over the last two seasons, he showed he has explosive speed and some ability on special teams and that could allow him to contribute for Jones in multiple ways on offense. James can catch the ball out of the backfield and that could help both Romo and Murray next season if he is added. James was also a target for the Chicago Bears behind Matt Forte, but the team addressed that in the draft by taking Ka'Deem Carey.
The Cowboys did not see a running back they liked for the value of the pick when they were drafting and that is another reason why they may look at a trade. Michael Bush and Ronnie Brown are fine veteran options, but they don't offer too much production or support for Murray, while both Ingram and James could be very interesting fits in the offense for Jason Garrett, Ingram has dealt with injuries, but as he showed against the Cowboys last season with a career high amount of yards, he is a tough runner and a productive one when he is on the field.
The Saints may not want to deal Ingram after already trading Sproles, but they like Pierre Thomas and Khiry Robinson at RB and that could be enough for a pass happy team like New Orleans. Ingram showed last season he could be a solid option and with the Saints not picking up his contract for next season, they may want to try and get something out of him. He has been up and down in the past while rushing for 1,462 yards with 11 touchdowns, but he could be exactly what the Dallas Cowboys are looking for heading into the season.
