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When the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys battle for the first time on November 5, don’t expect to see Ezekiel Elliott on the field for either team. The two-time rushing champion remains unsigned in free agency and no teams are banging down his door.
The rumor mill had the Cowboys bringing him back at a discounted rate after cutting him on March 15. Talk, it turns out, is still cheap. According to NFL Network’s Jane Slater, Dallas isn’t interested in a reunion with Elliott as they turn the starting job over to Tony Pollard. Maybe, if someone gets injured or suspended, they would explore it. That’s the only scenario right now.
“I circled back at my sources today and I was told, quite frankly, they’re just not talking about it,” Slater said. “When I asked if there would be a situation where they would bring him back, it sounds like the same answer I’ve gotten from a number of teams where it would basically require an injury to one of their running backs.”
It’s interesting to hear Slater say that’s the same answer she’s heard from other teams. Elliott had been lobbying to join the Eagles when free agency started, but the team reportedly never considered it. So, perhaps, it’s finally time to fully close the door on Elliott.
Slater added: “I know a lot of the guys in the locker room would love Ezekiel Elliott to come back, it just doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of smoke here. I think my bigger question for the Cowboys is, is Tony Pollard going to be able to have the same kind of production that Zeke did?”
LA Chargers Pegged Good Landing Spot
The Los Angeles Chargers could be an ideal landing spot for Elliott if they want added depth behind starter Austin Ekeler. Kellen Moore — Elliott’s former offensive coordinator in Dallas — will be calling the plays out there in 2023 and he’s expected to bring a “different philosophy and a different approach.” One thing he did a lot of in Dallas was employ a two-running back system.
Pro Football Network explored the familiarity factor: “The fit here would be based on familiarity alone and not for Elliott to become the expected starter. Rather, he would be seen as being able to provide a spell to entrenched starter Austin Ekeler, especially around the goal line. In four seasons with Moore as his coordinator, Elliott scored double-digit touchdowns three times.”
Eagles Not Interested in Ezekiel Elliott
When Elliott first included the Eagles on a wish list of teams he wanted to play for in 2023, it drew laughter and eyebrow-raising. Former Cowboys don’t tend to pan out in Philly. Then, the Eagles signed Rashaad Penny and traded for D’Andre Swift so the running back room seems to be in capable hands.
Still, stranger things have happened. The Athletic’s Bo Wulf put Elliott and Dalvin Cook in the “too good to pass up” category in a recent article. Wulf wrote: “But with D’Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Gainwell, the need for another running back of his ilk is a big shoulder shrug. The same goes for Ezekiel Elliott.”
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