Cowboys fans won’t like how Jerry Jones wasted the chance to draft Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Former Alabama and current Lions running back had the chance to play alongside Dak Prescott at Cowboys but owner Jerry Jones overlooked him.
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Jahmyr Gibbs and Jerry Jones (Image via IMAGO/X)
The Dallas Cowboys wanted Jahmyr Gibbs. However, the Detroit Lions swooped in and drafted the former Alabama standout as the 12th overall pick back in 2023.
After Ezekiel Elliott left for the Patriots, Dallas desperately needed a good running back. Instead of going all in for Gibbs, Jerry Jones settled for strengthening the Cowboys’ offensive and defensive lines.
During a recent interview with Richard Sherman on his podcast, Gibbs revealed that he did not expect the Lions to draft him due to the interests of the Cowboys and even the Cincinnati Bengals.
Go to Detroit [Lions]? No, I really didn’t expect that. I mean, I knew they [head coach Dan Campbell and running back coach Scottie Montgomery] liked me. But when you go on a visit, I mean, it seems like they all like you. So, I mean, it was crazy. I knew for a fact that Dallas was going to get me at 26 if I was still there, and a couple other places like Cincinnati is going to get me.
Jahmyr Gibbs told Sherman.
Jahmyr Gibbs was almost drafted to the Cowboys or Bengals 😵💫
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) November 15, 2024
🎥: RichardShermanPOD | #OnePride pic.twitter.com/cGtdfKoYhR
Jones and the Cowboys signed Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn in the sixth round. Since then, Vaughn has only played a handful of games for them.
The Dallas Cowboys made a mistake by not drafting Jahmyr Gibbs
Tony Pollard stepped up for the Cowboys in 2023 and put up 252 carries for 1005 yards and 6 touchdowns. It was far from elite numbers like Derrick Henry or Christian McCaffrey, but Pollard did a solid job.
Many believed Jones would reward Pollard with a new contract but to everyone’s surprise, they cut the Tennessee man who joined the Titans. Following the failed pursuits of Henry and a few other backs, the Cowboys shocked their fans again by bringing back Elliott for a second stint and further added veteran Dalvin Cook.
After eleven weeks of football, the Cowboys have a 3-7 record and currently have the second-worst rushing offense in the NFL (83.7 yards per game for 3 touchdowns). To add to their misery, Jones abolished Mike McCarthy’s rotational system (running back committee of Elliott, Cook, and Rico Dowdle). Dowdle, who has 83 carries for 374 yards, is now the lead rusher for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys could have avoided all of this by drafting Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs earned Pro Bowl status in his rookie season despite being the second choice behind David Montgomery.
In 2024, Gibbs ranks among the top 10 rushers in the league with 122 carries for 727 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. The Lions in week six defeated the Cowboys by a 47-9 score. Gibbs had 12 carries for 63 yards along with 3 receptions for 28 yards.
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Ishan Misra
(2963 Articles Published)