Former Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle gave it all for the Carolina Panthers this season. After having a breakout season in 2024, he only got better. But it’s starting to feel like this is where the chapter ends in Carolina, and he’s pegged to be a free agent again. As Dowdle prepares for free agency, his recent comments have the Cowboys’ front office on notice about a potential reunion.

“Oh yeah, for sure,” Dowdle said to ALLCITY Network about considering a return to Dallas. “I would never take that option off the table. I would definitely consider coming back to Dallas. Truly thankful for them, and like I said, they blessed me and gave me the opportunity, the starting point, to be where I am today.”

That’s not a very subtle message. He’d love to be back in Dallas, playing under head coach Brian Schottenheimer, as he has proven that he’s good enough for the role. Dowdle started his NFL journey with the Cowboys before moving to Carolina in 2025. After two consistently average seasons, he finally broke out in 2024, racking up 1,079 yards and two touchdowns.

Dowdle was later shipped to the Panthers in 2025. When Carolina needed to replace Jonathon Brooks with a 1,000-yard veteran running back and more, Dowdle again stepped up big time.

He proved his 2024 breakout was no fluke by nearly matching his production in Carolina, posting 1,076 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries. The RB even added a new dimension with 39 catches for 297 yards, demonstrating his value as a dual-threat back.

Funnily enough, one of his best performances of the season came against his former team, which saw him pile up over 239 combined yards in a 30-27 win. Luckily for Dowdle, Brian Schottenheimer was right there watching from the sidelines. To be fair, though, the Cowboys’ head coach was a fan long before that matchup.

“Rico’s a really skilled runner,” Schottenheimer said before the game. “He’s got great vision. He runs hard. We’ve got a ton of new faces; they don’t realize the power that he has. Rico was a guy we considered keeping, and we kind of fell in love with Javonte. Were we right? I don’t know.”

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Javonte Williams put up a 1,201-yard season in 2025. Schottenheimer might’ve been right to let Dowdle go, but the free agent RB has given the HC enough reasons to at least consider a potential reunion. With Dak Prescott backing George Pickens to stay, the Cowboys’ offense could have a very different look next season.

Dak Prescott will do anything for George Pickens to let him stay

It was yet another losing season for the Cowboys, but if something worked, it was the offense. Dak Prescott had a rare, healthy season, and he put up MVP numbers for long stretches. His 4,552-yard, 30-touchdown production was mostly because of George Pickens.

The Cowboys used a 2026 third-round pick to snatch the wide receiver from the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal, and it was very much worth it. He racked up 1,429 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games this year, arguably one of the best seasons of his career. Dak Prescott wants to replicate this production next year, and hence, he demanded that the franchise keep Pickens.

“The guy out here that doesn’t have a contract,” he said. “Whichever way they do it, he’s an important piece of this offense, and an important piece of what we’re trying to do. So, leave it to those guys, but obviously, if I need to get involved, I have said it before, I will.”

The Cowboys are projected to be just $31.4 million over the salary cap, which would influence any potential decision about Pickens’ future. If Dak Prescott gets involved, it might not matter so much. After all, it’s not just the quarterback backing George Pickens.

“One thing he told me that surprised me is that the Cowboys DC interviews further instilled their confidence in why they should keep George Pickens around,” reporter Jori Epstein said. “Because they are talking to all these DC candidates, and they’re [candidates] like, ‘Hey, you guys were a pain to go against this past year.’”

Jerry Jones has made it clear that he wants to win more Super Bowls. Keeping George Pickens around might be step one.