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During a podcast with NFL Network's Rich Eisen scheduled to air Thursday, The Triplets -- Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin -- talked about the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Super Bowl title, the first for Jerry Jones, and various other subjects.

Smith, the Hall of Famer and NFL's career leading rusher with 18,355 yards, likes the Cowboys' running backs but made some interesting comments about backup Felix Jones.

"And then when you look at the running back corps, they have two good guys – very good guys – and either one of them can shoulder the load and shoulder the burden at any point in time," Smith said. "We need Felix Jones to step up because we know DeMarco Murray can make it happen. We need Felix to step up a little bit – that’s a true statement."

Now, let's repeat, Smith said the Cowboys, "have two good guys, very good guys" as running backs. Yet his comments about Jones are worth looking into.

When you look back on that 2008 draft, we can think about at least five running backs selected after Jones who have produced better numbers. Jones has rushed for 2,326 yards on 458 carries. He's got only eight rushing touchdowns. By the way the five backs we thought about were Rashard Mendenhall, Chris Johnson, Matt Forte, Ray Rice and Jamaal Charles. When the Cowboys drafted Jones, it was mainly to back up Marion Barber.

But do you really waste a first-round pick on a backup?

Jones is a terrific running back, someone who can make defenders miss in space. He doesn't have the speed of, say, Johnson, but he's a running back who is hard to chase down at times.

The Cowboys have always described Jones as a complementary back and with good reason. He backed up Barber since he came into the NFL and when given the chance to become the full-time starter last season, he lost the gig to DeMarco Murray due to injury.

Jones has played 16 games in a season only once in his career.

Yes, running back is a tough position and few teams go with just one back, but Jones' durability is something that has been an issue for him throughout his career.

And as he enters the final year of his contract, you begin to wonder if he'll get a second deal with the Cowboys.

Cowboys outside linebacker Anthony Spencer switched agents over the weekend.

He's left Roosevelt Barnes and he will sign with Jordan Woy, according to a source.

The Cowboys placed the franchise tag on Spencer at a cost of $8.8 million. Spencer hasn't signed it because he would like a long-term deal. But the Cowboys and Barnes were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.

In 2011, Spencer was second on the team with six sacks and 31 quarterback pressures. He led the team with four forced fumbles and was tied with Sean Lee with eight tackles for loss.

Today starts the voluntary offseason program at Valley Ranch and it hasn't been determined if Spencer will arrive. Several other NFL players who have been franchised -- Matt Forte, Drew Brees and Ray Rice -- are not expected to show up for the start of their teams' voluntary offseason work.

UPDATE: Spencer did not attend Monday's workouts.

This is the second-part of a 12-part series on the Cowboys roster. Today we look at the running backs.


Players: Felix Jones (signed through 2012), Tony Fiammetta (free agent), Shaun Chapas (signed through 2014), Sammy Morris (free agent), Chauncey Washington (free agent), DeMarco Murray (signed through 2014), Phillip Tanner (signed through 2013).

Top free agents: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears; Arian Foster, Houston Texans; Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns; Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks; Ray Rice, Baltimore

Top draft prospects: Trent Richardson, Alabama; Lamar Miller, Miami (FL); David Wilson, Virginia Tech; LaMichael James, Oregon; Doug Martin, Boise State.

2011 review: The season started off with uncertainty as Jones took over the starting role after Marion Barber was released. An injury to Jones opened the door for Murray, a rookie, who set a franchise record with a 253-yard rushing performance against St. Louis. Murray's season ended with a fractured ankle, but he rushed for 897 yards. He will become the starter in 2012 and Jones will go back to coming off the bench. Murray is the future and has the skills and mindset to have a bigger season. Fiammetta burst onto the scene as a strong fullback that cleared the way for Murray and Jones to pick up big yards. Tanner has a future as Murray's backup but must have a strong training camp to make the roster again.

Offseason preview: Should the Cowboys consider trading Jones this offseason? It's hard to accomplish a trade with Jones entering the final year of his contract. The Cowboys should explore whether a fourth-or fifth-round pick is available for the former first-round pick. The team doesn't trust Jones to become a 20-down back in the NFL. He's a solid backup, which leads us to Tanner. He should compete with Jones for more playing time. If he makes the roster, he should get more game-day carries and special teams snaps. The Cowboys need to re-sign Fiammetta to maintain the chemistry he developed with Murray. Fiammetta was the glue to a solid running attack in the middle of the season. If Fiammetta's health issues (inner ear infection) are solved, then his return should be considered a positive.

Bryan Broaddus' Scout's Eye: Running back will be a position of strength for the Cowboys going into the 2012 season. Murray was outstanding when given the opportunity to start for the club, which allowed Jones to return to the role for which he is better suited -- backup off the bench. Tanner was a nice fit as a third back who contributes on special teams -- a role that Jerry Jones likes.

The learning curve for Murray was not that steep and he was able to do things as a pass protector that allowed him to stay on the field for more than two downs. The Cowboys were a different offense with Murray in the lineup, and Garrett was a better playcaller. If the Cowboys try to upgrade the position, it will most likely be for Tanner, but he will be tough to replace. I don't see the club using a draft pick on this spot unless it's late and it's a height, weight and speed player with high-quality traits.

Need meter (0-5): 2.

This week's Hot Button debate topic on ESPN.com is "Who is the most underrated running back in the NFL?" Ashley Fox takes the side of Chicago's Matt Forte while John Clayton says it's the Philadelphia Eagles' LeSean McCoy:

His nickname might be the most fitting for his situation as any in the NFL. At Pitt, he was called "Shady." In Philadelphia, he plays in the shadows of Eagles stars Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Forte might be the main force in Chicago. McCoy isn't drawing the headlines meriting his production. He's under the radar.

For one thing, no one talks about McCoy's contract. He's in the third year of his rookie deal. Nothing is in the works. He's makes $525,000 this year and is scheduled to make around $610,000 next year.

As for his performance, McCoy is one of the most exciting backs in the league and has been since he entered. The big thing is that he keeps getting better.

Tough to evaluate this from here. McCoy is surely not under the radar on an NFC East blog, so our perspective on this is a bit skewed. If the national perception is that McCoy is not one of the very best backs in the NFL, then I would say I agree with John that he's underrated. That could be because the Eagles have been such a pass-first offense in recent years, because Vick contributes so much to their rushing totals or because he hasn't been in the league long enough to establish himself in that conversation.

Whatever the reason, Eagles fans had better hope McCoy isn't underrated among members of the Eagles' coaching staff. Because the 28 carries he got two weeks ago against the Redskins should have been an eye-opener. Not only is McCoy one of the most electric players in the league, but he has now also shown the ability to be a workhorse back -- the kind of guy who can help you run out the clock and preserve a lead.

Going forward this season, the Eagles need to lean much more on McCoy than they have in the past. If they can lead the league in rush yards, they have a chance to recover and save their playoff and Super Bowl dreams. Relying more on McCoy is safer than chucking the ball downfield, will help protect Vick better and will give teams even more headaches than they already have when dealing with the array of offensive weapons the Eagles possess. McCoy may be underrated in some places, but if the Eagles are smart, they're going to put him front and center for the rest of this season.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Cowboys (0-1) have their home opener today against the Chicago Bears (1-0) at Cowboys Stadium.

Dallas has won three of its last four home openers, losing last year's home opener in the first regular-season NFL game at Cowboys Stadium to the New York Giants.

That was also the debut of ESPNDallas.com

Now, back to this game.

Cowboys update:The Cowboys' offense is struggling. It scored only one touchdown in the season opener last week vs. the Washington Redskins, missed a field goal and had another touchdown negated by a holding call on Alex Barron at the final buzzer. Dallas will have the return of two of its offensive starters, left guard Kyle Kosier (knee) and right tackle Marc Colombo (knee). Kosier said Friday he feels 100 percent and Colombo has expressed similar thoughts. Colombo and Kosier might not play every snap, so Montrae Holland and Barron should get some snaps.

Bears update:You think the Cowboys have problems? The Bears are coming off a win, and coach Lovie Smith was questioned for going for it on a fourth-and-1 at the Lions 1 in the fourth quarter. Smith said it was his fault, but offensive coordinator Mike Martz said it was his fault. Sounds like Dallas. Devin Hester, the alleged No. 1 receiver for the Bears, got one catch for 17 yards vs. the Lions, and there appears to be a rift between him and quarterback Jay Cutler. If the Bears go 2-0, their Week 3 home game against Green Bay will be an important NFC North showdown in September.

Cowboys inactives: 3QB Stephen McGee, FB Deon Anderson, LB Sean Lee, LB Brandon Williams, C Phil Costa, OT Sam Young, OT Robert Brewster, DE Sean Lissemore.

Bears inactives: 3QB Caleb Hanie, S Craig Steltz, CB Joshua Moore, RB Kahlil Bell, LB Nick Roach, OT J’Marcus Webb, DE Corey Wootton, DT Marcus Harrison.

Officials: Referee Scott Green, umpire Bruce Stritesky, head linesman Tom Stabile, line judge Tom Barnes, field judge Dyrol Prioleau, side judge Larry Rose, back judge Scott Helverson, instant replay official Carl Madsen.

Scouts scheduled to attend: New York Giants, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers

Football Outsiders insight: Bears running back Matt Forte, who rushed for 50 yards on 17 carries, was stuffed four times from the 1-yard line last week. Given the historical rate of conversion from there, an average back would have scored 2.2 touchdowns. For a single game, it was the third-worst performance of the past 11 years. Last year, Forte had the second-worst performance of any back inside the 5-yard line in the past ten seasons.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo converted only two of the nine third downs he faced. Why? His average third down came with 12.6 yards to go, and he never faced anything easier than a third-and-8. Last year, Romo converted just under 41 percent of his third downs into first downs or touchdowns, but his average third down came with 8.4 yards to go.

Cowboys offensive line vs. Bears front seven: In my view, this is where the game will be won or lost. If the Cowboys are able to control the Bears' front seven, they will take this football game. But if they struggle with the movement of the defensive line and the aggressiveness of the linebackers, then they are in for a real fight.

Last week against the Lions, Lovie Smith and Rod Marinelli were aggressive. Was this game plan trying to put more pressure on second-year starter Mathew Stafford, or was this just Bears football for 2010?

Smith and Marinelli have a decision to make Sunday. Do they blitz Tony Romo and allow the secondary to play in coverage, or do they allow just their front four to supply the pressure?

The Bears like to slant their front and get their players on the move. They don't want to stand in there and fight you toe to toe. The type of defenders that give Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode the most problems are those who are on the move. They struggle with quick defenders who can attack the edges. The type that will rush you down the middle are the guys that Davis and Gurode can handle all day.

The longer that Gurode and Davis have to sustain their blocks, the harder it is to move their feet and stay in front of the defender. The Bears have two guys like this in Anthony Adams and Tommie Harris. Adams and Harris like to get up the field. They like to try and put pressure on you right away.

You can take advantage of this front in the running game if you manage to catch them on the slant or in movement and take the ball behind it. The Bears can make you look bad if you do not adjust to secure the blocks.

Cowboys linebackers vs, Matt Forte: Against the Lions last week, Forte made two huge plays out of the backfield in the passing game. Those plays were the difference in the Bears' win.

Forte has deceptive speed and his running style is that of a slasher. He was timed in 4.44 at Tulane. He has a burst in the open field and he shows the ability to separate from defenders.

The Cowboys' linebackers must have good technique and be responsibly sound in coverage. A step late in coverage could result in a huge play.

Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz likes to run his receivers down the field to clear defenders, then run the back out of the backfield on the swing. On the game-winning touchdown, Martz had Forte swing out of the backfield going left up the sideline, resulting in a beautiful, adjusting catch.

Where the Cowboys have to be alert is if Martz decides he wants to use Forte on screens to try to slow this Cowboys rush down. Keith Brooking and Anthony Spencer are the best cover linebackers -- with Bradie James showing improvement in training camp.

I don't believe that the Bears will physically be able to move the ball on the ground because of their offensive line, so where the defense has to be sound is in not allowing Forte to make big plays in the passing game.

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler vs. Cowboys pass rushers: Jay Cutler led the NFL with 26 interceptions last season. One of the biggest problems that Cutler faces is his poor ball security.

There were several plays against the Lions where he felt pressure and for no reason at all flung the ball down the field without direction or regard for what might happen. With Cutler, it doesn't matter -- in the field of play or in the red zone, he is prone to mistakes.

When he feels pressure, he is at his worst. To him, a play is never dead, and instead of taking the sack and live to fight another play, he compounds the situation.

I really see the Bears struggling to block this Cowboys front. DeMarcus Ware and Spencer can create pressure from the outside on tackles Chris Williams and Frank Omiyale, who will struggle with their power and speed. Jay Ratliff will be solid against center Olin Kreutz, who is a fighter but not much else. Kruetz gets by on more guts than anything else.

If the Cowboys can control the running game of the Bears, play solid on the outside against these speedy receivers and not allow Cutler to feel comfortable, there is a good chance for turnovers because this quarterback will be careless. Pressure will lead to mistakes; it is his history.

The Cowboys will face a defense that will present them a different set of challenges as opposed to what they faced last week in Washington.

Lovie Smith and former Lions head coach Rod Marinelli have once again hooked up and continue to put the Bears in the Tampa 2 scheme that they ran with great success for the Buccaneers under Tony Dungy.

In 2009, the Bears were a banged up defense and struggled without several key members in the lineup. This year, with the addition of Julius Peppers from Carolina, it gives them a much more dynamic pass rusher than you have to deal with off the edge.

Peppers tends to play the open side of the formation which is away from the tight end, so a matchup against just one of the offensive tackles is possible if the Cowboys want to set the formation to one side or the other. Peppers is one of those defenders that doesn’t give you much of a hitting surface when blockers set on him. He has shown the ability to dip his shoulder and work underneath the tackle. He can be explosive from the backside as Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford learned.

Peppers does a nice job in the running game because he is difficult to hook or reach. He has very long arms and he uses them to keep blockers off him as he works down the line and into the backfield.

At the other end is Mark Anderson. Anderson is not a bulky player, but he is very quick. When Smith and Marinelli slant this line, Anderson is a problem to block on the move because he is a feel for how to beat blocks.

Anderson is the type of player that just keeps coming at you. He doesn’t want to fight these tackles toe to toe, so he needs to be on the move.

The type of player that tends to give Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis fits are the ones with quick movement off the snap. Davis and Gurode will struggle because they have to move their feet and extend the blocks. It’s the big inside guys that try to bull rush them that tends to be easier for them to block. The Bears have two of these types of players inside. Tommie Harris and Anthony Adams are both quick, up-the-field guys. Their game is based on movement more than strength.

The linebackers for the Bears are a veteran group. Brian Urlacher was throwing his body around. Lance Briggs was effective on the blitz, causing a turnover on the Lions’ 1, and Pisa Tinoisamoa can really run. This group was very active attacking the Lions.

That’s understandable because of a second-year quarterback at the controls for Detroit. It will be interesting if they try to blitz Tony Romo and allow this secondary the responsibility of playing coverage.

It’s a Cover 2 look (safeties on the hash) with the corners playing short and the safeties behind. The Bears secondary will also use a technique of the corners turning their rears to the sideline and trying to funnel the receivers inside. In the Cover 2 look as well, you will a see deep drop by Urlacher in the middle of the field.

Romo always talks about patience when playing a Cover 2 team and taking what they give you.

Charles Tillman is the better of the two corners. Zackary Bowman was picked on by the Lions. I would think that the Cowboys might do the same.

*The Bears on offense were able to move the ball on the Lions, but turnovers and red zone problems allowed to Lions to hang in the game and even have a chance to win it in the end.

The Bears will struggle to block the Cowboys’ front. Tackles Chris Williams and Frank Omiyale will have a difficult job of blocking DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer in the passing game.

Williams is the better player here because he plays with some strength. Omuyale just doesn’t play with much upper- or lower-body strength at all. You see him come out of his stance then get worked back. He is always fighting just to sustain his block. The Bears will chip with their backs out of the backfield.

At center for the Bears is veteran Olin Kreutz, who is an old-school type of player. Kreutz is one of those guys who skills have left him, but he gets by because he has the ability to hold, trip and clip. Kreutz will have his hands full with Jay Ratliff. Ratliff just plays with too much quickness for Kreutz, who will have a hard time adjusting.

The Bears might not have big names at wide receiver, but what they do have is a group that can really run. Johnny Knox is a 4.29, Devin Hester a 4.41 and Devin Aromashodu a 4.35.

Knox is a smooth route runner that will go all over the field to catch the ball, Hester is outstanding in the open field with the ball in his hands, but the interesting player to me is Aromashodu. This player can cover some ground on the outside and does a nice job in the slot. In the Lions game, Cutler was going to him more than the other receivers.

It will be interesting if the Cowboys try to press these receivers and not allow free access in the routes. If the secondary can hold up on the outside, it will make Cutler have to face this pass rush and the possibility to creating turnovers. In the Lions game there were several times where Cutler was under pressure and just unloaded the ball.

Running back Matt Forte had two huge plays in the passing game for the Bears that resulted in touchdowns. Forte’s running style is that of a slasher. If he had a problem in the Lions game, it was his inability to punch it in from the 1, but the Bears really didn’t do a very good job of securing the hole. The Bears like to pull guards in short yardage, which was a big problem against the Lions. The Cowboys need to be careful in this game not to allow Forte to have a similar game to what he did against the Lions.