Getty The Dallas Cowboys are among the teams interested in Ezekiel Elliott.
The Dallas Cowboys could be reuniting with a familiar face if the latest NFL rumors are true. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported that the Cowboys, Patriots and Jets are all teams that still have an interest in signing Elliott who remains a free agent.
“The Patriots have remained highly interested in Ezekiel Elliott, and the Cowboys are also in the mix to re-sign the 28-year-old, according to league sources,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote on August 6, 2023. “The New York Jets have also been in on Elliott.
“The Jets have shown heavy interest in Dalvin Cook, but there haven’t been any recent developments on that, according to a league source. The Patriots, who had some peripheral interest in Cook, are now almost certainly not going in that direction, according to a league source.”
The New England Patriots Hosted Ezekiel Elliott for a July 29 Visit
Source: 2x All-Pro RB Ezekiel Elliott is visiting the #Patriots today.
This could impact the RB-needy AFC East, as well as the Dalvin Cook derby, since he and Elliott are considered the top backs available.
Zeke looked terrific in the videos he posted of his workouts.
New England remains “highly interested” in adding Elliott, per Howe. The Patriots hosted Elliott for a July 29 meeting but did not sign the running back to a deal.
“No deal for Ezekiel Elliott and the Patriots today but that doesn’t mean there won’t be going forward,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweeted on July 29. “He remains a free agent.”
Cowboys Rumors: Dallas Is Keeping the Door Open to Re-Signing Ezekiel Elliott
#Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, when I inquired about Ezekiel Elliott visiting the Patriots, said, “He can still play.”
While Jones has not completely dismissed possibility of Zeke return to Dallas, it seems apparent they want to evaluate RB group behind Tony Pollard first.
The Cowboys may be “in the mix” to re-sign Elliott, but it remains to be seen how aggressive Dallas will be in their pursuit of a possible reunion. Ronald Jones’s two-game suspension could prompt Dallas to take another look at Elliott. ESPN’s Ed Werder reported that owner Jerry Jones believed that Elliott “can still play” while also adding that the Cowboys want to evaluate their current group of running backs before making another possible move.
“Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, when I inquired about Ezekiel Elliott visiting the Patriots, said, ‘He can still play,'” Werder tweeted on July 29. “While Jones has not completely dismissed possibility of Zeke return to Dallas, it seems apparent they want to evaluate RB group behind Tony Pollard first.”
Dallas Cowboys Rookie Deuce Vaughn Has Been a Training Camp Standout
Deuce Vaughn
For now, Jones, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle are all fighting for a spot on the depth chart behind Tony Pollard who will take over as the Cowboys lead back. The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf labeled Vaughn as a “highlight on the field” during training camp. At the start of training camp, head coach Mike McCarthy continued to speak about Elliott in the past tense.
“No, I don’t look at them trying to fill Zeke’s role,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on July 25. “I mean, Zeke’s a special football player. He’s a primary ball distribution focal point for us long before I got here and definitely the last three years.
“So, how those opportunities are distributed, we’ll answer that as we get into the games. This is not a ‘this guy gets Zeke’s touches.’ That’s not the format. It’s really [a question of] how are we going to utilize the whole perimeter group.”