Cowboys Add Explosive 1,400-Yard, 20-TD Playmaker Ahead of High-Stakes Showdown With Lions

FRISCO, Texas — With a nationally televised Thursday Night Football clash against the Detroit Lions looming, the Dallas Cowboys just added a jolt of firepower to their backfield — and the rest of the NFC East is officially on notice.

Dallas has signed running back Israel Abanikanda, the Pitt product whose electric 2022 season — 1,431 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns — cemented him as one of college football’s premier big-play threats. Known for his top-tier burst and a sub-4.4 40-yard dash, Abanikanda brings the kind of game-breaking acceleration the Cowboys have sorely missed at times this year.

The move arrives at a pivotal moment. With Dallas battling for playoff position and looking to inject new life into its ground game, Abanikanda’s speed gives offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer a weapon who can flip field position in a single snap.

While Javonte Williams remains the lead back and Malik Davis continues to contribute as a rotational option, Abanikanda adds a dimension opposing coordinators must immediately respect: the ability to stretch the edge, punish overpursuit, and threaten touchdown-distance runs on every carry.

Dallas didn’t limit its roster shakeup to offense, either. The team designated cornerback Trevon Diggs for return to practice, a massive development for a secondary that has lacked its usual bite in the takeaway department. Should Diggs progress quickly, the Cowboys could regain one of the NFL’s premier ballhawks just as the postseason picture tightens.

Meanwhile, the Lions enter the week as slim favorites in early Vegas projections — but that could shift once Detroit gets a look at updated Dallas personnel on film. Both teams are navigating short-week turnarounds, and freshness may prove to be the defining factor.

What’s clear: the Cowboys are not content to stand pat. They’re signaling urgency, aggression, and a willingness to add speed wherever possible.

If Abanikanda recaptures even a fraction of his Pitt explosiveness — and Diggs returns in time to stabilize the back end — Dallas could become one of the NFC’s most unpredictable and dangerous teams down the stretch.