UNITY UNIT UNITED: O-line is fine with current RB stables | Dallas Cowboys offensive line ready to gel with running backs | North Texas Food Bank benefit

By robertdknight on 05/04/2015

The Dallas Cowboys offensive line sticks together, on the field and off it.

Maybe that’s one reason they’ve been so good – good enough that the organization didn’t feel compelled to reach for a running back in the 2015 NFL Draft.

Together, members of the offensive line helped host Sunday’s “Taste of the NFL” charitable event at AT&T Stadium benefiting the North Texas Food Bank. Also featuring Dallas Cowboys legends Charles Haley, Preston Pearson and Chad Hennings, the event has helped feed hungry children in North Texas for the past decade.

And together, the offensive line will open holes for the Dallas Cowboys running backs in 2015 – whichever combination it may be.

Pro Bowler center Travis Frederick and right guard Zack Martin echoed the front office’s faith in the current running back depth chart: Darren McFadden, Joseph Randle, Ryan Williams and Lance Dunbar. McFadden, a seven-year veteran, has 1,038 career carries; the other three have a combined 243.

“I think it’s probably a little bit of faith in us, but it’s also faith in the guys we have in our running back stable now,” Frederick said. “It’s a really good group of guys. I’m really excited to watch them run, especially run together.”

Frederick and Martin are excited about the current backs early commitment to preparing for the season.

“It’s exciting to go in fresh this season and learn how we’re going to gel together,” Martin said.

It does help to run behind a line with three Pro Bowlers (Frederick, Martin, Tyron Smith) and an overall cohesion beyond their years. The average age of the starting five – Frederick, Martin, Smith, Ronald Leary and Doug Free – is only 25.8.

“They’re an amazing group, and it’s really understood that they do everything together,” head coach Jason Garrett said. “They lift together, they run together, and literally they hang out together 24 hours a day. I really believe that helps us as a unit. It certainly helps us as a football team.”

Wanna help? Donate money. Volunteer your time as an individual or a group. Donate food. Participate in events that benefit North Texas Food Bank. With NTFB, there are many ways you can get involved to make an impact on your community.