Cowboys Rumors: RB Royce Freeman Signs 1-Year Contract Ahead of 2024 NFL Draft

This was probably not the splash that Dallas Cowboys fans were looking for.

The team reportedly signed veteran Royce Freeman to a one-year contract on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Todd Archer, adding to a running back room that includes Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn after Tony Pollard signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

Freeman, 28, appeared in 14 games for the Los Angeles Rams last season, rushing for 319 yards and two scores as Kyren Williams' backup. He has never rushed for more than 521 yards or five touchdowns in a season, the career highs he set as a rookie in 2018 with the Denver Broncos.

He spent three years with Denver before bouncing around to the Carolina Panthers (2021), Houston Texans (2021-22) and the Rams last season.

What he does bring is far more experience than either Dowdle (385 rushing yards in three seasons) or Vaughn (40 rushing yards as a rookie last season). Given the state of this group, it seems likely the Cowboys will address the position at the NFL draft.

The Cowboys have more than a few needs after an offseason that saw them lose Pollard, offensive lineman Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz, defensive ends Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong and defensive tackles Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore. Defensive backs Stephon Gilmore and Jayron Kearse remain free agents.

And the team's major offseason additions were... linebacker Eric Kendricks and now Freeman. Long snapper Trent Sieg, Dowdle and defensive backs Jourdan Lewis and C.J. Goodwin were also re-signed.

Not to mention that Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his contract without an extension finalized. Because of the major money he'll likely garner in that deal—alongside inevitable extensions for CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons—the Cowboys clearly went into cost-cutting mode this offseason despite Jerry Jones telling reporters in February at the Senior Bowl that the team would be "all-in" this offseason:

"I would anticipate, with looking ahead at our key contracts that we'd like to address, we will be all-in. I would anticipate we will be all-in at the end of this year. We will push the hell out of it. It will be going all-in on different people than you've done in the past. We will be going all-in. We've seen some things out of some of the players that we want to be all-in on. Yes, I would say that you will see us this coming year not build for the future. It's the best way I've ever said. That ought to answer a lot of questions."

Players like Freeman are solid depth options. They don't exactly come close to representing "all-in" signings, however.