Cowboys' comments about veteran player will ruffle a lot of feathers
One of the biggest questions the Dallas Cowboys have to face this offseason is what direction they're going when it comes to the running back position. In particular, it's about the future of Ezekiel Elliott. As season eight approaches for Elliott, it's clear that his best days are behind him, but Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones […]
One of the biggest questions the Dallas Cowboys have to face this offseason is what direction they're going when it comes to the running back position. In particular, it's about the future of Ezekiel Elliott.
As season eight approaches for Elliott, it's clear that his best days are behind him, but Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones still see value in the two-time rushing champion. So much so that they both said on Wednesday that they didn't see any drop-off in his play this season and want him to return.
This would cause a plethora of negative emotions in the Cowboys fan base. Tony Pollard has become the new fan favorite when it comes to Cowboys running backs, and rightfully so. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2022 thanks to leading the team with 1,007 rushing yards and posting nine rushing scores.
It's clear that Pollard is the more effective of the two at this point in their careers, and fans for the most part don't want to see Elliott return after years of steadily declining play. However, Elliott and Pollard feed off each well as they had five games in which they combined for over 140 yards as a duo this season.
The statement about there not being a drop-off in Elliott’s play is disingenuous. Elliott had career lows in rushing yards (876) and yards per rush (3.8) this season. Where Elliott did most of his damage was in short-yardage situations as he was used a lot in the red zone scoring 12 rushing touchdowns, tied for the second-most of his career.
One way to help the Cowboys keep Pollard if they choose to do so is restructuring Elliott’s deal to free up cap space. Forever the team player, Elliott mentioned last week that if that's the route the Cowboys want to go, so is he.
"I want to be here," said Elliott. "I don't have a crystal ball; I can't tell you the future. But I definitely want to be here."
The Cowboys can also save $4.9 million against the cap if Elliott is traded or released. However, for now, it appears the Cowboys' mindset is to have him back, and that will make a lot of the fans in Dallas upset if that's the case.
Feature image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
