Running backs don't matter? 2024 taught Cowboys lesson, but which one?

Running backs don’t matter. It’s a mantra that took forever to catch on, and right when it finally did, the landscape seemingly changed overnight and the debate wages once again in 2025.

To many, 2024 will go down as the year of the RB. While the Dallas Cowboys took a clear and deliberate step away from the position, teams like the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens embraced it with open arms. Based on the results of the 2024 season, one could reasonably conclude the Cowboys were wrong and those other teams were right. But is it really that simple or is there more than meets the eye?

For years the value of the RB position had been losing steam in the NFL. 30 years ago, the running backs trailed only quarterbacks in annual compensation to the top tier. Nowadays, the RB position ranks 13^th in compensation (Freakonomics). Free agency has largely been a bear market for most RBs. Teams have been apprehensive to dedicate big money to a position with a short shelf life and have preferred to replace production with rookie contracts and/or affordable platoons.

Then defenses started changing. The popularity of the Seattle single high defense began to fade as teams moved to bend-but-don’t-break defenses like the split safety schemes employed by Vic Fangio and his many disciples.

With defenses sitting back in coverage more often, opportunities for rushing gains have increased. Offenses are incentivized to run the ball more frequently now and urged to replace their deep shots with a dink and dunk approach underneath. It’s a throwback to yesteryear and just another example of how cyclical the NFL can be. But does it really mean RBs are king again?