Darren McFadden to join Cowboys
— -- IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys have moved quickly to fill at least part of the hole left by DeMarco Murray's departure by agreeing to a two-year deal with Darren McFadden, according to a source.
The deal is worth up to $5.85 million and includes a $200,000 bonus, the source said.
In seven seasons with the Oakland Raiders, McFadden ran for 4,247 yards on 1,038 carries and 25 touchdowns. He also caught 211 passes for 1,769 yards and five touchdowns, but he has struggled with injuries throughout his career.
Last year was the first time in his career he played in all 16 games, but he became a backup for most of the season.
He started the season behind then-newly signed Maurice Jones-Drew, but McFadden became the starter when the now-retired Jones-Drew was injured and ineffective. Yet McFadden was ineffective and lost his job to Latavius Murray, who will be the Raiders' starting tailback in 2015.
McFadden, 27, has been working out at Michael Johnson Performance in McKinney, Texas.
He had 534 yards on 155 carries in 2014 and has averaged 3.4 or fewer per carry for the past three seasons. His 3.34 yards-per-carry average over the past three seasons is the second-fewest among qualified players behind Trent Richardson (3.31), who was recently released by the Indianapolis Colts, and just ahead of Jones-Drew (3.62).
The Cowboys are hoping that playing behind an offensive line that features three Pro Bowlers ( Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin) and is considered one of the best lines in football will finally see him produce the way the Raiders expected when they took him in the first round of the 2008 draft.
The Cowboys selected McFadden's Arkansas running mate, Felix Jones, in the first round of the 2008 draft, but he had a difficult time staying healthy, didn't produce a 1,000-yard season and eventually lost his job to Murray.
ESPN.com Raiders reporter Bill Williamson contributed to this report.
