Dallas Cowboys to replace DeMarco Murray with Darren McFadden

The Dallas Cowboys are set to replace last season’s leading NFL rusher, DeMarco Murray, with the oft-injured Darren McFadden.

McFadden and the Cowboys reportedly agreed Friday to a two-year deal worth up to $5.85 million, according to NFL.com.

The former Raiders running back ran for 544 yards in 155 carries last year for Oakland in the first 16-game season of his seven-year career.

In Dallas, Murray rushed for 1,845 yards on 392 attempts -- the most running yards by a single back since 2012, when Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson went for 2,097 yards. Murray signed a $42-million five-year deal Thursday with the Philadelphia Eagles, another NFC East team, so the Cowboys will still get to see their former back at least twice a year.

In 13 games in 2010, McFadden rushed for 1,157 yards with seven touchdowns and caught 47 passes for another 507 yards and three more scores. McFadden missed three games that season because of a hamstring injury.

Which brings us to the primary knock on McFadden: durability. Until last year, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft out of Arkansas had played in 13 games at most in a single season because of a series of injuries.

Because of McFadden’s injury history, and his production, 3.3 yards per carry over the last three seasons, the Cowboys could elect to draft a running back in the first round with the 27th overall pick if Georgia running back Todd Gurley or Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon are still available.

Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme