He’s returned. You don’t need to look up the date on your calendar because it is 2024.
And sure, Ezekiel Elliott is getting ready to play for the Dallas Cowboys after the two parties came to an agreement on a contract that will help solidify the team’s running back depth chart for the 2024 campaign.
“After the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, we are excited to see what Zeke’s future holds,” stated general manager and owner Jerry Jones.
Due to Tony Pollard’s departure in free agency and the quantity of raw, inexperienced young talent behind Rico Dowdle, who re-signed this offseason for a one-year contract, the depth chart has been beset with doubts up until this point.
The agreement came together over the course of a few days, but talks had been going on for weeks, if not longer, with Elliott always having the option to pull out as early as this season.
The Cowboys’ decision to forego drafting a running back in this year’s draft, which was partially motivated by their expectation that Elliott will soon make a comeback, and a steak dinner they had last week also contributed to the agreement.
Elliott changed his jersey to No. 15 in honor of his dominance at Ohio State after being released by the Cowboys following the 2022 season, a move that was solely motivated by a salary cap crunch. He then signed with the New England Patriots, where he had a strong season that saw him produce 955 yards from scrimmage with five touchdowns in five starts.
The 28-year-old still has plenty of tread left on his tires, as evidenced by his 235 touches for Bill Belichick in the last campaign.
Do the Cowboys think Elliott is capable of starting in the NFL again?
“Yes, yes,” said Jones.
Given that the Cowboys selected no running back with any of their eight draft choices, Elliott’s return to the starting lineup in Dallas seems almost certain.
In the 2016 NFL Draft, he was selected by the Cowboys with the fourth overall pick, defying the general trend in the league regarding the decline in value at the running back position.
In his debut season out of Ohio State, he would light up the field, winning PFWA All-Rookie Team accolades before going on to win two All-Pro selections and three Pro Bowl berths in the end.
Elliott, who is among the league’s most resilient players, assisted quarterback Dak Prescott in taking the Cowboys’ offense to all-time highs. Elliott is also a two-time NFL rushing champion.
In addition, he frequently battled through injuries to stay available, such as a ruptured PCL in 2021, which is a credit to his unwavering will and leadership, even going on to top 1,000 yards that season.
Elliott finished third in the running back scoring category with 8,262 yards and 68 touchdowns, behind only Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith. However, Elliott outpaced Dorsett in terms of average rushing yards per game (80.2).
According to Stephen Jones, executive vice president and head of player personnel, “Zeke is, as we all know, one of our favorites.” “He has risked everything for this franchise. He’s the best competitor there is, and we have high regard for him.”
His ongoing commitment to the Dallas community through his work with The Salvation Army and “For Oak Cliff,” a local charity established to assist impoverished and underserved youngsters in Southwest Dallas, has been equally significant, if not more so.
Elliott never faltered in his community service in a city he still holds dear, even if his football skills were being used in New England the previous season.
Elliott declared in September of last year, “Dallas is definitely home to me.” “Most of my family is already in Dallas.”
