NFL Rumors: Lance Dunbar Leaving Dallas Cowboys For San Francisco 49ers

NFL rumors have swirled around the San Francisco 49ers and their attempt to rebuild an offense that can help carry the team to victories. Much of the talk has centered around Colin Kaepernick and whether or not he will be the starting quarterback for the Niners next season. However, it now appears that the 49ers are looking to improve their ground game. According to NBC Sports, San Francisco is seriously considering signing Lance Dunbar from the Dallas Cowboys.

When the Dallas Cowboys lost DeMarco Murray to the Philadelphia Eagles via free agency, Jerry Jones famously stated that any running back in the NFL could do well behind their dominant offensive line. After the season was over, it was apparent that Jones needed to upgrade his offensive backfield. However, at one point in time, Jerry seemed to be quite accurate because Lance Dunbar was looking like a quality National Football League running back.

The Dallas Cowboys never really got to see if Lance Dunbar could be an adequate replacement for DeMarco Murray because of a serious injury. A torn ACL ended the season for Dunbar, so the Cowboys had no choice but to lean on Darren McFadden a bit more than they had originally planned. McFadden has long been viewed as an injury-prone running back, so Dallas wanted to make sure that there was someone else around to help him carry the workload.

Since they are unwilling to shell out big bucks for a running back, Jerry Jones is hoping that Lance Dunbar will return to the Dallas Cowboys. He and head coach Jason Garrett have both made sure to mention his name at the combines, so that has led many to believe that the Cowboys have Dunbar in their future plans. Thanks in large part to the torn ACL, Lance is a much cheaper option than guys like Doug Martin and Matt Forte.

Unfortunately for the Dallas Cowboys, they are not the only team in play for Lance Dunbar. The former North Texas Mean Green star and his agent are doing the wise business move by shopping the running back around the NFL to see what type of price tag that he can get. By creating some sort of competition, Dunbar might be able to drive up his asking price. The interest from the San Francisco 49ers is helping to raise the bar a little bit for Lance.

The San Francisco 49ers already have Carlos Hyde on the roster, so that means that they’re not looking for a running back to come in and carry the workload. They’re hoping that Lance Dunbar can be the change-of-pace back for Hyde, a power runner who loves to punish people between the offensive tackles. Dunbar is extremely versatile and can be a threat in the passing game, so he would fit really well with the offensive scheme that Chip Kelly is bringing with him from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Since the San Francisco 49ers are not sure what’s going to happen with Colin Kaepernick, they’re doing the smart thing by beefing up their running game. Between Carlos Hyde, Lance Dunbar and Jarryd Haynes, the Niners should have enough competent runners at the position. The team is also looking to upgrade their offensive line, especially after losing starting left guard Alex Boone to the Minnesota Vikings.

No one knows for certain what Lance Dunbar is going to do at this point. While he certainly could return to the Dallas Cowboys, the team that gave him a chance to play in the NFL, he could always be swayed by the San Francisco 49ers if they offered him a big deal and show that they really want him on their team.

[Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images]