For the Cowboys and their fans, it all began with a 30-yard kick return in the preseason opener against the Jaguars in August. From there, it was eight fairly good rushes for 50 yards with an average of 6.3 per carry. This included a spectacular, jitterbugging 26-yard run to help set up a touchdown early in the second half, which he also scored. Following that touchdown, spectators chanted “Deeeeuuuuucceeee,” indicating that Deuce Vaughn had become a fan favorite.
The reasons were evident. Vaughn, who stands 5 feet 5 inches tall, adds a David-and-Goliath flavor to each play.
And, in the 2023 draft, when the Cowboys selected Vaughn in the sixth round, it was his father, Chris—the Cowboys’ chief of scouting—who got to phone his son and tell him he had been drafted. It brought tears to my eyes.
Vaughn’s season, however, peaked in preseason Week 1. He had five runs for 14 yards and a touchdown in the Cowboys’ second preseason game but no carries in the finale. During the season, he carried 23 times for 40 yards and caught seven passes for an additional 40 yards. Vaughn also had four punt returns totaling 19 yards.
The feel-good, fan-favorite narrative of Deuce Vaughn and the Cowboys appears to be coming to an end—one team insider believes Vaughn will not make the Cowboys’ 53-man roster.
Deuce Vaughn Not ‘Better Than the Next Guy’
Mike Fisher, a longtime Dallas media fixture, provided an inside look at a potential 53-man Cowboys roster for SI.com/Athlon Sports this week. Fisher selected just four running backs for the Cowboys this season, a very weak bunch that did not include Vaughn.
It won’t help that the Cowboys may not be finished adding to the running back room, especially if their subpar crop proves even more dismal once camp begins.
Here’s how Fisher summarized the group:
“Running back (4): Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis, Hunter Luepke.” If this doesn’t work out at some point during camp, Dallas may look at some veteran names. Maybe Dowdle outperforms Zeke… And maybe Deuce Vaughn finds a position, though we can’t figure out how he’s better than the next player, save from special teams.”
Indeed, a player’s popularity among fans can only get him so far. Elliott and Dowdle are guaranteed to make the roster, so Vaughn’s challenge would be to beat out Davis and/or Hunter—or a late-camp veteran addition.
Cowboys Running Backs Ranked Worst in NFL
Vaughn may, of course, stay with the Cowboys as a member of the practice squad, but he could be picked up by another team if he is released this summer. If he is given the opportunity, his mix of speed and shiftiness might make him an effective third-down back for a team.
However, being cut from what is usually regarded as the NFL’s weakest running back group would be detrimental to one’s resume. Pro Football Focus has ranked the Cowboys as the league’s weakest running back corps, at No. 32.
The site wrote: “After allowing Tony Pollard to sign elsewhere in free agency and missing out on the best backs in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cowboys re-signed Ezekiel Elliott to be their lead rusher.
“Elliott’s best days were with the Cowboys, but his yards per run average has dropped below 4.0 in the last two seasons, resulting in a career-low 69.2 PFF rushing grade in 2023. Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn are behind him.
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