All offseason, Sean McVay talked about developing Tavon Austin into a more traditional wide receiver – one who runs routes downfield and makes plays beyond the line of scrimmage. Last season, he was primarily a backup running back who took handoffs and jet sweeps for sometimes decent gains, but also caught just 13 passes for 47 yards.

For a player making nearly $15 million, that wasn’t nearly enough. That’s why McVay wanted to help him become a true wideout with a full offseason and training camp to work through in 2018. That plan failed to commence when the Rams traded him to the Cowboys for a sixth-round pick, giving him a fresh start in Dallas.

Only, it’s very possible that not much will change with regards to his role. On Wednesday, the Cowboys listed Austin as a running back, not a wide receiver.

That’s a bit surprising after members of the Cowboys’ front office and coaching staff talked about Austin being a player who could get “one or two dozen touches per game.” That always seemed like an extremely high number, even as a wide receiver. As a running back, it’ll be nearly impossible to attain, considering how often Ezekiel Elliott carries it.

Whether Austin sticks at running back or transitions to a more traditional wide receiver role remains to be seen, but this probably isn’t the start he was hoping for. Playing behind Todd Gurley did him no favors, and slotting below Elliott on the Cowboys’ depth chart won’t, either.