DeMarco Murray leads the NFL in rushing, but the Dallas Cowboys are concerned about another stat five games into the 2014 season.

Murray also leads the league with 130 carries, putting him on pace for a record-tying total of 416. Larry Johnson had 416 carries in 2006 with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Murray had 31 carries in Sunday’s overtime win over the Houston Texans.

“We think that’s probably too many carries in the game, week in and week out,” head coach Jason Garrett said. “He ended up with 31 so we’d like to get that number lower. We’d really just like to get the other guys an opportunity. I don’t see any wear and tear in DeMarco but having said that, we want to make sure we create a rotation and we’ll focus on doing that in the next few weeks.”

Murray turns 27 the week after the Super Bowl in February 2015 and is set for unrestricted free agency in March if the Cowboys don’t reach a new deal with him before that. The team is also facing negotiations on a new deal with wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Murray’s previous career high of 217 carries set last season is a reminder to the Cowboys of his durability issues. He played a career-best 14 games last season but missed two weeks with a leg injury. In his first two seasons with the Cowboys, he started 17 total games with a combined 325 carries.

Under first-year offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, the Cowboys have shown a strong commitment to the running game that was lacking — and criticized by fans, players and owner Jerry Jones — with Garrett and Bill Callahan as play-callers. Murray is the third running back all-time to rush for 100-plus yards in the first five games of a season. Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson were the others.

Jones said Sunday that Murray, who also had five receptions for 56 yards against the Texans, is providing more of a physical presence and penchant for picking up tough yards that the Cowboys didn’t anticipate when he was drafted in the third round from Oklahoma in 2011. Only one of his 31 carries Sunday went for more than 10 yards.

“His physicalness between the tackles is something that we didn’t see,” Jones said. “But we’re glad we’ve got it.”

While there might not be outward signs of wear and tear on Murray, the running back has fumbled in every game this season.

“That’s an issue,” Garrett said, “and we’ve got to get it right.”

Backup running backs Lance Dunbar and Joseph Randle each have 11 carries this season. Dunbar also has five receptions.