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A big-name Dallas Cowboys running back may be on the outside looking in by the time the regular season starts.
Ezekiel Elliott, who will turn 29 on July 22, is one of 11 Cowboys veterans who are in “danger” of not making the roster, according to Cowboys Wire’s K.D. Drummond.
“Ezekiel Elliott not making the roster would, by far, be the most surprising outcome of this year’s training camp, but it can’t be wholly dismissed,” on July 8. “While there isn’t another proven back on the roster, $1.6 million in guarantees isn’t enough to guarantee a player a roster spot.”
Why Ezekiel Elliott Will Likely Earn Spot on Cowboys’ Roster
While the argument that Elliott’s spot isn’t guaranteed is mentioned, Drummond does stress that a lot would have to happen for the Cowboys to actually release the former star running back before the season starts. It also helps Elliott’s case that Dallas doesn’t exactly have a lot of proven depth on its roster outside of veteran free agent signee Royce Freeman. The Cowboys’ other running backs are Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis, who have combined for a total of 157 carries during their careers.
“There would just have to be so much to happen for this to come to fruition,” Drummond wrote. “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.”
Why Cowboys Have a Need for Ezekiel Elliott
The Cowboys initially parted ways with Elliot during the 2023 offseason, cutting their starting running back to save money on the salary cap. He then signed with the New England Patriots, where he saw valuable playing time as a backup running back, posting 184 total carries for 642 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. He started the final five games of the season after Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a season-ending injury.
While Elliott clearly isn’t the running back who could produce big runs that he was earlier in his career — he averaged 5.1 yards per carry during his rookie season in 2016 — he still brings being a red zone threat to the equation. It was as recently as during the 2022 season that Elliott posted 12 touchdowns, ranking fifth in the league in the category.
It’s no secret that Dallas struggled with Tony Pollard as the starting back and Elliott out of the equation in red zone situations. Pollard not only ran for just six touchdowns, the Cowboys ranked 12th in red zone touchdown percentage after leading the league during the 2022 season with Elliott in the fold.
That alone combined with the affinity that the front office has for Elliott — Jerry Jones immediately left the door open for Elliott’s return upon his release last year — should be enough to earn Elliott a spot on the 53-man roster.
Barring an unforeseen development among the Cowboys’ young running backs in training camp, expect Elliott to be around when Dallas kicks off the 2024 season against the Cleveland Browns.
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