Ezekiel Elliott has made his triumphant return to the Dallas Cowboys. The team has signed the running back for the 2024 NFL season, and the front office has confirmed his role in the offense for the year.
During the 2023 offseason, the Cowboys decided to make a shocking move and cut Ezekiel Eelliott. The running back’s contract was a huge load for the NFC East team, and releasing him was the best option in financial terms.
Elliott didn’t want to leave Dallas, but circumstances required it. He spent the 2023 season with the Patriots, but his heart remained in Texas. Now back with the Lone Star club, he’s eager to prove he’s still a top-tier running back.
Ezekiell Elliott could be the starting RB for the Dallas Cowboys
For many fans, the Cowboys may have made a huge mistake regarding their running backs this year. The NFC East team released Tony Pollard this offseason, leaving the starting job open for a new player.
During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Lone Star club was expected to select a running back, but surprisingly, they did not. For that reason, they opted to sign a veteran player, one they were already familiar with.
The Cowboys have signed Ezekiel Elliott to a 1-year, $3 million contract. Both parties were interested in a reunion, and fortunately, things fell into place for it to happen.
However, a big question remains: what will be Zeke’s role in the team’s offense? Well, it seems that Will McClay, the VP of player personnel, has provided some insight. He shared that Elliott could serve as the club’s starting running back.
“You’ve got to look at the landscape of the position,” Will McClay said Wednesday, per LoneStarLive.com when talking about Zeke’s role. “You know what’s playing in the league and you’re grading those guys against the [other] guys in the league, and then you’re projecting on the college side. So you look at what’s available and then you make your decisions based on that.
“Zeke is a winning, starting running back in the league,” McClay said. “So you turn on the tape, you saw him do things, running power gap schemes, running inside and outside zone, helping in pass protection — all those things to show that the ability was still there. Adding him to this roster, it adds a guy that, No. 1, loves football, that wants to win here, that wants to be here, and that adds something to the roster from a leadership standpoint, as well as an ability to play.”
Who are the Cowboys running backs?
Following the release of Tony Pollard, the Cowboys had an opening at the starting running back position. With the decision not to draft a player for the position this year, a veteran will assume Pollard’s role this season.
In the team’s depth chart, Ezekiel Elliott is listed as RB1. Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Royce Freeman are set to compete for the backup role, but it appears that Dowdle is the favorite to support Zeke.
SURVEY Who should be the starting RB of the Dallas Cowboys?
Who should be the starting RB of the Dallas Cowboys?
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