Ezekiel Elliott is coming back to the Dallas Cowboys! According to ESPN sources, the former fourth overall draft pick from 2016 has agreed to a one-year deal with a maximum value of $3 million.
Elliott and his agent, Rocky Arceneaux, had a meeting with the Cowboys before last week’s draft. Guess where they ended up? At the same restaurant, Dee Lincoln Prime, the team was having their scout dinner.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones had nothing but praise for Elliott, saying, “Well, Zeke, as we all know, is one of our favorites. He’s laid it on the line for this franchise. He’s the ultimate competitor.” “He’s a guy about whom we obviously think a lot.”
With the Cowboys losing their leading rusher, Tony Pollard, to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, they’re looking at a committee approach for their running back position. They’ve re-signed last year’s backup, Rico Dowdle, and added veteran Royce Freeman. The team also has Deuce Vaughn, a sixth-round pick from last year, Malik Davis, and Hunter Luepke on the roster.
Elliott’s return brings back memories of Herschel Walker’s second stint with the Cowboys. From 1986 to ’89, Walker led the team as a rusher, but his trade to the Minnesota Vikings paved the way for Dallas to win three Super Bowls under Jimmy Johnson. Walker returned to the Cowboys in 1996, playing behind Emmitt Smith and serving as the lead kickoff returner.
Interestingly, the Cowboys didn’t select a running back in the draft, despite their lack of depth at the position. They considered picking one in the third round but opted for linebacker Marist Liufau instead. In the fifth round, other teams drafted 12 running backs between their selection of Liufau at No. 87 and their next pick at No. 174.
Stephen Jones emphasized the Cowboys’ commitment to sticking to their draft board, saying, “I think a lot of times there is a question of, ‘Will you really, really stick to your board?’ “It just felt like every time the situation was there for us to make a pick and do the right thing, it wasn’t about running back.”
The Cowboys planned to add Elliott, who the team released last year due to salary cap issues, before signing with the New England Patriots, even if they had drafted a running back.
In his time with the Patriots, Elliott played 51% of the offensive snaps and led the team with 642 rushing yards on 184 carries (3.5 average) and three touchdowns. He also had a team-high 51 receptions for 313 yards (6.1 average) and two touchdowns.
However, the Cowboys won’t be asking the soon-to-be 29-year-old Elliott to be the dominant back he was for most of his first stint with the team, which saw him become the organization’s third all-time leading rusher behind Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.
From 2016 to ’22 with the Cowboys, Elliott ran for an impressive 8,262 yards. The three-time Pro Bowler set team rookie records with 1,631 yards and had 30 100-yard games during his time in Dallas. He also led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and 2018 but hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since 2020 (1,002).
In other news, the Cowboys also agreed to terms with veteran linebacker Damien Wilson, who ended last year on the active roster but didn’t play in a game.
Ezekiel Elliott is back in the blue and silver, ready to contribute to the Cowboys’ running game alongside a committee of backs. Will he recapture some of his former glory? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: Cowboys fans are excited to see Zeke back in action at AT&T Stadium!
The Information is Taken from ABC News, Yahoo Sports and Fox News
