Brian Schottenheimer isn’t rushing to make CeeDee Lamb part of the Cowboys’ running-game fix.
That matters, because the idea had already started floating around Dallas after Jerry Jones suggested the team could get creative with playmakers like Lamb and All-Pro return man KaVontae Turpin to jolt a ground attack that has gone nowhere over the past two weeks. It was the kind of notion that drew immediate resistance from fans, especially with memories still fresh of what happened to Lamb in Week 3 last season, when he was lost for multiple weeks after taking a handoff against the Chicago Bears.
Asked Wednesday before practice at The Star whether Dallas might use Lamb in the run game, Schottenheimer made it clear that’s not his preferred answer.
"I mean, it’s not the first choice, but any way we can find touches for our players, we want to do it," Schottenheimer said when speaking to the media before Wednesday afternoon's practice at The Star.
He didn’t stop there, either. The Cowboys’ coach acknowledged the bigger issue hanging over the offense.
“A run game usually takes a little bit of time and not pleased with where it’s at-at all.”
And that’s really the heart of it. Dallas can talk about inventive ways to manufacture production, but the run game won’t move until the offensive line cleans things up. Through Week 3, the Cowboys sit dead last in the league in run-block win rate at 66 percent.
A big piece of that problem is the absence of Tyler Smith. The All-Pro lineman, who NFL executives and coaches ranked as the top interior offensive lineman in the league before the season, had to undergo thumb surgery and landed on injured reserve. He won’t be eligible to return until Week 5 at the earliest.
Without him, the Cowboys have leaned on Javonte Williams, and the results haven’t been there. Since signing his contract extension in the offseason, Williams has run 24 times for 71 yards.
So while Jones may be open to unconventional answers, Schottenheimer’s comments suggest Dallas is looking at the issue through a more basic lens: get healthier, block better, and stop reaching for desperate measures.
In Other News...
Cowboys Fans Wont Like What The NFL Did To Jake Ferguson
Jake Fergusons Week 2 celebration has turned into a league office issue, with the Cowboys tight end fined $13,611 by the NFL for what was deemed an offensive gesture after he appeared to imitate shotgunning a beer. The moment drew attention in the aftermath of the game, and now Ferguson is dealing with the kind of offseason-style discipline that can follow even a brief celebration on Sundays.
Ferguson plans to appeal, which keeps the matter from being fully settled just yet, and it adds another line to a growing list of Cowboys-related fines this season. The NFL has handed out similar penalties to other players as well, but for Dallas fans, the frustration is less about the league being consistent than about seeing another team regular flagged for something that happened in the heat of the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Quarterback Search Takes A Turn Ravens Fans Should Notice
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One name floating in the background is Joe Milton, who remains on the Cowboys practice squad, though Josina Anderson reported the Giants have not made any formal move to acquire him. For Dallas, it is another reminder that quarterback speculation can hover around the roster even when nothing is imminent, and for the Giants the situation is still fluid as they weigh whether to stay patient or act before the picture gets any clearer. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Already Have A Draft Fit Fans Will Want To Watch
The Cowboys early-season defensive issues have already put a spotlight on the middle of the line, where run defense has been leaky and coverage has not been clean enough behind it. With that in mind, a fresh 2027 mock draft from SI.com points Dallas toward a name that fits the problem pretty neatly: Ole Miss defensive tackle Will Echoles, a disruptive interior presence who has drawn attention for his versatility.
Echoles has made enough noise this college season to be viewed as one of the top interior defenders in the next draft class, and that kind of profile is exactly why he stands out for the Cowboys. Dallas does not need another long-term project in the middle so much as a player who can help tighten the front and create more havoc, which is why this is one draft fit worth keeping on the radar as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]