IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys are working out a bevy of free agent running backs Tuesday to look for depth at the position after losing backup running back Lance Dunbar to a knee injury.
That list of workout players includes former Syracuse running backs Curtis Brinkley and Delone Carter, as well as former Notre Dame running back Armando Allen and former North Carolina running back Shaun Draughn. The Cowboys also worked out fullback Tyler Clutts.
Owner/general manager Jerry Jones said on his weekly radio show on 105.3 FM "The Fan" that the team would work out "about seven of them" Tuesday morning.
"We're adding a couple of guys who can play fullback for us, too – which is a plus," Jones said. "Finding that running back that can contribute if needed but can be a special teams player – those aren't on the street. Everybody would like to have one of those off the street. So we'll have a challenge to even approach what we lost in Dunbar."
Carter's the only player on the list who was a former draft pick, getting selected in the fourth round in 2011 by the Colts. He was traded to the Ravens before the season but cut at the end of August.
Also released at the end of August was Allen after three seasons with the Bears. Brinkley was also most recently with the Bears and released in August after spending the majority of his career with the Chargers after going undrafted in 2009.
Draughn and Clutts were released by the Ravens and Dolphins, respectively, in October this year.
Draughn's most productive NFL season occurred last year with the Chiefs. He played in 16 games, averaged 3.9 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns. He played in three games with the Ravens this year before getting cut.
Clutts, a 6-2, 254-pound fullback, bounced around from the Canadian Football League to the Arena Football League to the United Football League before spending time with the Browns, Bears, Texans and Dolphins the last three years.
The Cowboys have utilized linebacker Kyle Bosworth near the goal line as a fullback. It's much more difficult to find a solid replacement for Dunbar at running back after the backup's most productive game of the year. [embedded_ad]
Dunbar had 12 carries for 82 yards and one catch for 12 yards against the Raiders, providing a spark off the bench and a dynamic tandem with DeMarco Murray. Dunbar's 82 rushing yards that game were more than he had all season entering the game (68).
