Just when it looked as if Tyler Goodson was on his way to earning a bigger offensive role after rushing for 77 yards on 12 carries last week against the Indianapolis Colts, he picked up a knee injury that is expected to cause him to miss multiple weeks. He could end up on IR, and the Cowboys only have one more designated to return spot.
With Goodson sidelined for an unknown time, the Cowboys need to find a new backup running back to help spell/complement Javonte Williams for the next several games.
Jerry Jones indicated they would bring in a free agent. We now have a name as a possibility.
Kendre Miller was released by the New Orleans Saints earlier this week.
Miller, a former third-round pick (71st overall) by the Saints in 2023, is a Texas native from Mount Enterprise. He was one of the best backs in the nation in 2022 TCU where he rushed for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he’s been plagued by injuries since entering the league and it not only stunted his growth, but ultimately led to his release. Despite that, there’s still a lot to like about the former Horned Toad.
As a potential Goodson replacement, Kendre Miller checks a lot of the boxes. Talent-wise he possesses a lot of skill. At 5’11” and around 220 pounds, give or take, he meets the prototypical size of a starting RB and he has some surprising juice/wiggle that would help complement Williams’ hard-nosed running style.
Miller would also be an asset in the receiving game. He’s a natural hands catcher and has proven to be a weapon out of the backfield when given the opportunity. He still has work to do as a pass protector, but with the Cowboys that wouldn’t be as much of a concern because that’s something Williams usually handles.
What makes Miller an even more of an attractive option as Goodson’s replacement is his special teams value. Goodson took over for KaVontae Turpin when he was sidelined with a rib injury as Dallas’ kick returner and has been just as good if not better. Miller has the experience/ability to fill those shoes as well in the return game.
All in all, there’s a lot to like about Miller. If he can finally overcome his unfortunate injury history he has the makings to become a serviceable running back in the league. Add in his special teams value and he’s a solid replacement for Goodson as their new RB2.
