The Dallas Cowboys could end up cutting Ezekiel Elliott due to…
The Dallas Cowboys looked to a familiar face this offseason when they needed backfield help.
They signed running back Ezekiel Elliott, whom the team selected fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Ezekiel Elliott played seven seasons for the Dallas Cowboys before the organization decided not to re-sign him in 2023. He signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.
Ezekiel Elliott is returning to the Dallas Cowboys for a second season after spending one with them last year. He will be part of a group looking to replace Tony Pollard, who left in free agency to sign a multi-year contract with the Tennessee Titans.
However, one Dallas Cowboys writer feels the former great running back is in risk of being released.
Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond recently identified Ezekiel Elliott as one of 11 veterans who may not make the 53-man roster. “Ezekiel Elliott not making the roster would be the most unexpected conclusion of this year’s training camp, but it cannot be completely disregarded.
While there are no other proven backs on the roster, $1.6 million in guarantees is insufficient to ensure a roster berth,” Drummond stated.
Drummond makes a valid point concerning the money owed to him. If a need arises elsewhere on the roster, that isn’t a significant enough sum to make the team hesitate to release him.
However, Ezekiel Elliott does have one thing working in his favor; his experience. It would be shocking to see the Dallas Cowboys enter the 2024 regular season with a combination of Duece Vaughn, Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman and Malik Davis.
“There would just have to be so much to happen for this to come to fruition. A lackluster running back room would have to have at least three players jump up and grab the coaching staff’s attention and even then, Elliott would have to have zero juice left in the tank because his intelligence alone makes him a worthwhile stash even if he wasn’t a regular part of the rotation,” Drummond added.
Ezekiel Elliott has a significant advantage when it comes to knowledge of the playbook and what the Dallas Cowboys demand from their running backs.
He’s not the same performer he was when he last made the Pro Bowl in 2019, but the team knows what to expect from him. Ezekiel Elliott, a reliable pass catcher out of the backfield, is still adequate in pass protection.
He may not have much juice left, but he remains useful as a power back. Only two seasons ago, he ranked in the top five in the NFL with 12 rushing touchdowns. If he does not make the team’s 53-man roster, it is reasonable to think he has nothing left.
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