Elliott's one-year, $2 million contract with the Cowboys includes $1.75 million guaranteed, and he can earn up to $1 million more via incentives, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. All of the incentives require Dallas making the playoffs, with the other parts entailing Elliott playing more than half the team's snaps ($500k), scoring 10 touchdowns ($250k) or reaching 1,100 yards from scrimmage ($250k). He did all three of those things in 2021, and two of the three in his most recent season with the Cowboys (2022). A one-year sojourn to New England proved less productive, though Elliott handled some huge workloads late in the season after Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high-ankle injury, averaging 14.8 carries and 5.2 catches over the Patriots' final six games. The Cowboys probably won't call on him that often, even with their other backfield options -- Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner -- being less than stellar. The Cowboys didn't draft a running back in April, and none of their veterans besides Elliott has ever run for more than 521 yards in a season.
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Elliott's one-year, $2 million contract with the Cowboys includes $1.75 million guaranteed, and he can earn up to $1 million more via incentives, Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports. All of the incentives require Dallas making the playoffs, with the other parts entailing Elliott playing more than half the team's snaps ($500k), scoring 10 touchdowns ($250k) or reaching 1,100 yards from scrimmage ($250k). He did all three of those things in 2021, and two of the three in his most recent season with the Cowboys (2022). A one-year sojourn to New England proved less productive, though Elliott handled some huge workloads late in the season after Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high-ankle injury, averaging 14.8 carries and 5.2 catches over the Patriots' final six games. The Cowboys probably won't call on him that often, even with their other backfield options -- Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner -- being less than stellar. The Cowboys didn't draft a running back in April, and none of their veterans besides Elliott has ever run for more than 521 yards in a season.
Elliott agreed to terms Monday to a contract with the Cowboys, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Pending a physical, Elliott will attempt to reignite his career in Dallas, the team with which he spent the first seven years of his NFL career and earned two All-Pro nods. The Cowboys recently lost Tony Pollard to free agency and, to the surprise of most analysts, opted not to select a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft, giving Elliott an easy path to the No. 1 role in a backfield that also includes Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn (ankle). It's unclear how much the former rushing champ has left in the tank entering his age-29 season, as across 17 games with the Patriots last season he carried 184 times for just 642 yards (3.5 YPC) plus three scores, while adding a 51-313-2 receiving line.
Elliott's agent is meeting with the Cowboys in Dallas on Wednesday, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reports. This isn't the first time the two sides have been connected this offseason, as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported last month that there was mutual interest in a reunion. The Cowboys lost Tony Pollard to the Titans in free agency and only added end-of-roster types Royce Freeman and Snoop Conner to a depth chart that includes Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis. Elliott played in all 17 games for the Patriots last season, turning in a 184-642-3 rushing line while adding 51-313-2 as a receiver on 65 targets. Dallas will likely draft a running back this week.
Elliott and the Cowboys have mutual interest in possibly reuniting, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Elliott, who currently remains a free agent and turns 29 in July, played out the 2023 season with the Patriots and suited up for all 17 regular-season games. He rushed 184 times for 642 yards and three touchdowns, with a substantially higher workload during the final five games while Rhamondre Stevenson missed time with an ankle injury. He spent the first seven years with the Cowboys, who currently have only Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn (ankle) and Malik Davis atop the depth chart, so a reunion could make real sense if Zeke is open to a relatively team-friendly deal.
The 88 scrimmage yards were a season high for Elliott, as the Patriots went with a ground-heavy game plan that also saw Rhamondre Stevenson get 23 touches. Heading into New England's bye, the veteran RB has just 331 rushing yards and two TDs through 10 games as Stevenson's understudy, but Elliott could pop for bigger numbers in Week 12 against a Giants defense he has plenty of experience punishing from his Cowboys days.
Elliott was bottled up on the ground while teammate Rhamondre Stevenson produced a 64-yard touchdown en route to a season-high 87 rushing yards. The former Dallas running back has reached 50 scrimmage yards in only one of nine games with the Patriots, and Elliott continues to cede the majority of backfield touches to Stevenson. Given his modest role in New England's low-octane offense, Elliott won't have much fantasy appeal in Week 10, even against the porous Colts defense in Frankfurt.