The Browns signed Freeman to the practice squad Tuesday.
Freeman spent time with the Cowboys this offseason, but he wasn't able to stick to the team's final roster. Now, he gets an opportunity in Cleveland, where, with Pierre Strong (hamstring) considered week-to-week, a chance to contribute could come as early as Sunday versus the Giants.
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Royce Freeman: Doesn't make 'Boys' 53-man roster
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Freeman was released by the Cowboys on Tuesday.
Freeman's chances of making the Cowboys' 53-man roster appeared slim due to the fact that he was the third running back behind Malik Davis and Deuce Vaughn entering Saturday's preseason finale against the Chargers. Freeman finished the preseason with 67 rushing yards on 15 carries while adding one catch for seven yards. The 2018 third-round pick should garner some interest from teams looking to add a veteran running back to their roster or practice squad.
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Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Third back on field Saturday
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Freeman carried the ball eight times for 35 yards and caught his only target for seven yards in Saturday's 26-19 preseason loss to the Chargers.
With Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle sitting out Dallas' preseason finale, Malik Davis and Deuce Vaughn both saw carries before Freeman did and posted better yards per carry averages on the day, which bodes poorly for the veteran's chances of being on the roster for Week 1. Freeman has been barely hanging on in the NFL for a few years now, and his 77 carries for the Rams in 2023 was his highest total since 2019. While he still appears capable of handling a depth role in a backfield, the Cowboys may elect to go with their younger homegrown options instead.
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Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Solid showing in win
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Freeman (groin) rushed seven times for 32 yards in the Cowboys' 27-12 preseason win over the Raiders on Saturday night.
Freeman was able to suit up after having suffered a groin injury earlier in the month, and he finished second in rushing yardage after coming into the game behind starter Malik Davis. Freeman should have a solid chance of securing the No. 3 running back job given his experience, as well as the fact Davis didn't exactly impress with his starting opportunity Saturday (five carries, 14 yards).
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Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Leaves practice with injury
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Freeman left Monday's practice with what appeared to be a groin injury, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
The veteran running back was having a good camp, but any lengthy absence for Freeman could cost him standing in Dallas' backfield. Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott remain the favorites to handle the biggest roles in a potential committee. Freeman's availability for Sunday's preseason game against the Rams should become clear over the next few days.
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Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Well positioned for backup role
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Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones suggested Monday that Freeman is in good position for a roster spot and backup role, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.
Jones said Freeman is "a great 2-3 combination in terms of what he can do as a backup" and "a great complement to [Ezekiel Elliott]". Jones then mentioned Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis having to "battle it out," which could be taken as a sign that Freeman's roster spot is more secure than Dowdle's even though the latter was the No. 2 RB in Dallas last season. It's only the first week of training camp and a lot could change before Week 1, but it seems Freeman is at least making an impression with his combination of size, special teams experience and passing-down competence. Explosive running isn't something he really offers, but that's also probably true of most of the other Dallas running backs.
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Cowboys' Royce Freeman: Picked up by Dallas
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Freeman signed a one-year contract with the Cowboys on Tuesday, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports.
Freeman spent his first three seasons with the Broncos before stops with the Panthers, Texans and Rams the last three years. The journeyman tallied 319 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in Los Angeles last year across 14 games. Dallas lost Tony Pollard to free agency, so its running back room currently consists of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn (ankle), Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Freeman. Freeman could get an opportunity to carve out a role for himself, but the Cowboys still seem likely to invest in the position during the 2024 Draft.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Logs most rush attempts since 2019
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Freeman finished the 2023 regular season with 77 rushes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, adding one catch for 13 yards.
Signed a day after Sony Michel retired, Freeman spent much of the year relegated as deep reserve option in the backfield behind Kyren Williams, Ronnie Rivers, and at one point, Darrell Henderson. When Freeman did take the field as a co-starter alongside Henderson when Williams and Rivers went down with injury in Weeks 7 through 11, the veteran back made the most of his opportunity, posting a 50-215-1 line in the four-game stretch. The Rams have Williams and rookie Zach Evans on the roster for 2024 and will likely bring Rivers, an exclusive-rights free agent, back as well. Whether Freeman will return for a second season with the Rams likely hinges on how much the team trusts the aforementioned trio to stay healthy for a full season.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Garners just four snaps
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Freeman gained zero yards on his only rushing attempt during Sunday's 36-19 victory against the Browns.
The veteran's numbers took a nosedive compared to last week's 13-77-1 line against the Cardinals, while Kyren Williams had his second straight game with more than 100 scrimmage yards, putting up a respectable 21-88-1 line on the ground while adding three catches for 24 yards. The Rams seem content with having Williams shoulder a heavy load on offense, as evidenced by his 60 snaps on offense to Freeman's four. A stout Ravens defense that has allowed just four rushing touchdowns on the year is up next in Week 14, further limiting Freeman's fantasy appeal.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Week 13 Adds (RB Preview)
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While Kyren Williams looked all the way back, there should be enough running back touches in Week 13 for Freeman to be a solid flex even with Williams leading the backfield. He has 150 rushing yards in 30 carries in his last two games combined and the anemic Browns offense should put the Rams into a run-heavy game script again. As good as the Browns defense has been this year, they have allowed 4.47 yards per carry to opposing running backs, the seventh-highest mark in the league.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Returning to No. 2 role Sunday
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Freeman will serve as the Rams' No. 2 running back Sunday against the Cardinals with Los Angeles set to activate Kyren Williams (ankle) from injured reserve ahead of the Week 12 contest, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
Williams took over as the Rams' lead back Week 2, carrying 82 times for 404 yards (4.9 average) and four touchdowns to go with 13 receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets across five games as the team's starter before he landed on IR on Oct. 21. The Rams have since leaned on a combination of Freeman and Darrell Henderson out of the backfield, but the latter was waived Tuesday after the former ended up taking on most of the snaps and touches in the Week 11 come-from-behind win over Seattle. According to Cameron DaSilva of USA Today, head coach Sean McVay said he plans to take some snaps off Williams' plate in his looming return to action after Williams was on the field for north of 80 percent of the Rams' offensive plays in four of his five starts, but Freeman could still struggle to get enough change-of-pace work to retain fantasy utility even in deeper leagues. Freeman isn't helped by the fact that Williams represents a more trusted option on passing downs, as Freeman has drawn just one target across his 113 offensive snaps with the Rams this season.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Leads team in carries
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Freeman rushed 12 times for 32 yards in Sunday's 20-3 loss to the Packers.
Freeman was also unsuccessfully targeted once. The tailback led Los Angeles in rush attempts and yards, but his production was still underwhelming. Nonetheless, with teammates Kyren Williams (ankle) and Ronnie Rivers (knee) on IR, Freeman and Darrell Henderson figure to remain the Rams' top runners when they return from their bye week.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Week 9 Adds (RB Preview)
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Freeman has turned 21 carries into 110 yards and a touchdown in two games with the Rams. In those same two games Darrell Henderson has 30 carries for 92 yards and a score. If the carries tilt towards Freeman, and they should, he'll be a low-end No. 2 running back. For now, plan on starting him as a flex.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Sees 12 carries
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Freeman carried the ball 12 times for 66 yards in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Steelers.
Freeman played behind Darrell Henderson, but the two were the only backs to see touches in the Rams' new-look backfield. Freeman picked up double-digit yards on two of his carries and added an additional pair of nine-yard gains. Even in a complementary role, Freeman should have some fantasy relevance for at least the next three games while Kyren Williams (ankle) and Ronnie Rivers (knee) are sidelined.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Promoted to L.A. roster
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The Rams signed Freeman off their practice squad Tuesday.
Freeman will get a permanent spot on the Rams' 53-man roster after the team had previously elevated him from its practice squad in Weeks 2 through 4. Though he's seen all 37 of his snaps on special teams in his three appearances, the veteran could have a role out of the backfield Sunday against the Steelers with both Kyren Williams (ankle) and Ronnie Rivers (knee) looking unlikely to be available. The Rams still have rookie sixth-round pick Zach Evans on hand as an option to lead the ground attack, but Freeman could rotate in and potentially handle passing downs. Los Angeles also re-signed Darrell Henderson to its practice squad Tuesday and could elevate him to the roster this week to bolster the backfield.
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Royce Freeman: Reverts to practice squad
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Freeman reverted to the Rams' practice squad Monday.
Freeman played all 12 of his snaps on special teams and recorded an assisted tackle on punt coverage during Sunday's overtime win over the Colts. Given this was his third callup from the practice squad, the Rams will have to sign Freeman to their active roster if they wish to play him for the rest of the season.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Bumped to active roster
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The Rams elevated Freeman to their active roster Saturday.
This is the third time Freeman has been elevated by the Rams this season, meaning that the team will have to sign him to their active roster if it wishes to play him for the rest of the season. The 2018 third-round pick has played exclusively on special teams in his two appearances and would figure to reprise that role against the Colts on Sunday if he sees the field.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Bumped up from practice squad
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Freeman was elevated to the Rams' active roster ahead of Monday's game against the Bengals, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Freeman was also elevated ahead of the team's Week 2 matchup with the 49ers before reverting to the practice squad last Monday. He played nine snaps on special teams while the team chose to leave rookie Zach Evans inactive. It's likely the same scenario unfolds in Week 3.
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Royce Freeman: Reverts to practice squad
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Freeman reverted back to the Rams' practice squad Monday.
Freeman was called up to the active roster ahead of Sunday's loss to the 49ers with Cam Akers and Zach Evans both being healthy scratches. The 27-year-old's only action came on special teams, as he played nine snaps while Kyren Williams handled the bulk of the rushing workload.
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Rams' Royce Freeman: Elevated to active roster
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The Rams have elevated Freeman to the active roster ahead of Sunday's matchup with the 49ers, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.
Freeman landed on Los Angeles' practice squad after failing to make it through final roster cuts. The Rams are opting to load up on rushing options, as the veteran back will be the No. 5 on the depth chart. He is more likely to make an impact on special teams if he indeed sees the field.
