FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys will place running back Darren McFadden on the reserve/non-football injury list, which will keep him out for the first six weeks of the season.
McFadden, the team's leading rusher last season, will be eligible to return to practice on Oct. 17, but with the bye week the first game he could play in would be Oct. 30 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
McFadden needed surgery to repair a broken elbow in June. He had hoped to be ready to practice this week, but the Cowboys opted to buy some time with him to help alleviate a logjam at running back.
At present, Ezekiel Elliott, Alfred Morris, Lance Dunbar and Darius Jackson have made the 53-man roster and the Cowboys have also kept two fullbacks, Keith Smith and Rod Smith.
McFadden rushed for 1,089 yards last season, taking over as the full-time starter in Week 6 against the New York Giants. He had five 100-yard games and two games with more than 90 yards in the final 11 games of the season.
McFadden is in the final year of his contract, but because he is on NFI list the Cowboys will not be obligated to pay him. He is set to make a $1.25 million base salary and can earn $31,250 for each game he is on the 53-man roster.
The Cowboys received some trade inquiries regarding McFadden over the past couple of weeks, but opted to keep him on the NFI list.