Joseph Randle Won't Play vs. Seahawks Amid Injury, Personal Issues

Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle is battling an oblique injury and facing questions regarding a potential violation of the league's personal-conduct policy. As a result, he won't be available to help his team try to snap a four-game losing streak Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

"We don’t anticipate Joe playing this week because of his injury," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said Thursday, per David Helman of DallasCowboys.com. "He has to take care of this personal issue."

Randle departed the Cowboys' Week 7 loss to the New York Giants after suffering an oblique injury, amassing 24 yards on two carries in the contest, and things have gone downhill since. 

In addition to facing a multigame suspension stemming from a February arrest, per ESPN.com's Todd Archer and Adam Schefter, Randle has reportedly lost his starting job to Darren McFadden.

According to the Dallas Morning News' David Moore, Randle "abruptly" left the team's facility Wednesday following the demotion. However, Garrett told reporters Thursday that Randle's absence was "excused" as he addressed a "personal matter," per Helman.

Beyond short-term job security, Randle needs to deal with an ongoing league investigation even though charges aren't being pressed.

The details of Randle's incident weren't pretty, as Archer and Schefter described: 

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More likely, he'll be suspended, possibly for multiple games, for a February incident in Wichita, Kansas, in which Randle was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana after police received a call about domestic violence with a weapon after an incident with Randle and the mother of his son.

According to the police report, the mother of Randle's son said Randle broke a car window in an argument and threatened her with a gun with their son nearby. In April, the charges were dropped, but although he's legally in the clear, Randle faced sanctions from the NFL.

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As long as Randle is out of the equation, McFadden and relative newcomer Christine Michael figure to see all of the carries for a sputtering Dallas offense. According to Moore, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones believes wide receiver Dez Bryant is on schedule to make his return Sunday, so the Cowboys attack should benefit from an extra dose of explosive playmaking on the outside.

With a chance to seize the starting gig, the pressure is on McFadden to flash vintage form. The 28-year-old did so in Week 7, when he rushed for 152 yards on 29 carries, but the Seahawks' sixth-ranked run defense should provide a stiffer test.