FRISCO, Texas – Who better to talk about the Cowboys' roster than the guy who helps build it?
Will McClay, the Cowboys' vice president of player personnel, appeared on 105.3FM The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday morning. Given the news of the previous night, it was only logical that he fielded questions about the signing of Alfred Morris.
"Most teams have six running backs in camp at this point in time, we needed a sixth running back in camp at this time," McClay said.
The decision to sign Morris was bound to prompt speculation, given the current situation with Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys' All-Pro running back is still missing from camp due to his contract dispute, and however badly they might want him back, McClay said they have to focus on working without him for the time being.
"We want the bell cow, we want him to be here and we hope that that happens," he said. "There's a contingency plan, but we're also looking at it as, expecting him hopefully to be in here and then we've got depth and competition."
Morris provides a veteran presence that was noticeably lacking without Elliott. The rest of the backs on the Cowboys' roster have a grand total of six career carries, and all of those belong to Darius Jackson. Tony Pollard and Mike Weber are rookies, while Jordan Chunn has yet to appear in an NFL game.
That doesn't mean Morris has guaranteed himself a roster spot. That will likely depend on how this position battle plays out, not to mention what eventually happens with Elliott. But for the time being, it's a boost to a position of need.
"Competition is why we're doing this whole thing," McClay said. "So there's no guarantee within that. We know what he can do, but there's no guarantee."
