One of the very few free agent signings the Dallas Cowboys made this offseason might be bigger than originally expected, as running back Royce Freeman appears to be etching his name in stone on the team's 53-man roster.
There's a long way to go before cutdown day and the Cowboys coaching staff will have a lot to think about at the position, but it sure sounds like the decision-makers expect him to make the team.
Back when he was signed, it seemed like a very real possibility that Freeman would turn out to be this year's version of Ronald Jones, who was signed and eventually cut in 2023. A camp body with some upside thanks to his experience (Freeman has 79 games under his belt).
But hearing Mike McCarthy talk about Freeman was very telling, as he praised the running back's understanding of the scheme before dropping a significant nugget about how the coaching staff perceives him.
"Royce is just a vet that seems very very comfortable in our system has picked it up schematically and has a really good understanding particularly in the in the protection part," McCarthy told reporters on Wednesday. "He does everything well, (we) knew him is a runner but when you see running backs when the bullets are really flying and the pass protection part of it, the declaration, the adjustments, all that, I think it's been excellent."
It's no secret McCarthy's biggest change to the offense upon taking over for Kellen Moore last year happened in the pass protection department. The Cowboys head coach has been very open about how demanding the scheme is on running backs, as it tasks them with a lot of responsibility.
Earlier this offseason, McCarthy even claimed Ezekiel Elliott had a lot to learn about the Cowboys' new pass pro scheme despite being on the team with the head coach for three years before being released in 2023.
But McCarthy's praise for Freeman didn't stop in the pass pro conversation.
"(Freeman has) got very good hands, has a very high understanding of the game and and also has a chance to be one of our primary players on special teams so um he's a really good fit for us," McCarthy added.
That last bit is a major nugget, as the Cowboys have put a lot of emphasis on carrying a core of approximately four players who spearhead John Fassel's special teams unit. For running backs fighting for a spot at the bottom of the depth chart, being one of those "primary players on special teams" can be enough to land the job.
With Freeman checking both the pass protection and special teams boxes, he sure is looking like a roster lock. But it's a competitive room and nothing is guaranteed just yet. I know he'll be in my next 53-man roster projection after leaving him off of my first two though.
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