Report: Ezekiel Elliott meeting with Cowboys before NFL Draft
Free agent running back Ezekiel Elliott could be reuniting with the Dallas Cowboys for the 2024 season. According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, Elliott’s representative is meeting with the team one day before the NFL Draft.
Anderson’s report of the meeting falls in line with what Adam Schefter of ESPN said earlier this month. He said it would make sense for Elliott to return to the Cowboys due to the team needing depth at the running back position.
“Over the weekend, Jeremy Fowler reported there was a chance there was mutual interest in Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys reuniting,” Schefter said. “Think about it this way, Ezekiel Elliott needs a team, and there’s not a team that makes any more sense than the Dallas Cowboys.
“The Dallas Cowboys still need another running back, and there’s not another running back that makes any more sense than Ezekiel Elliott. There would seem to be, as Jeremy pointed out, some mutual interest in the two sides.”
Elliott was with the New England Patriots for the 2023 season after the Cowboys released him. He signed a one-year contract with the Patriots and rushed for 642 yards and three touchdowns on 184 carries in 17 games with five starts.
Ezekiel Elliott’s standout career with the Cowboys
The Cowboys selected Elliott at No. 4 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. In his seven seasons in Dallas, Elliott was named to the Pro Bowl three times and selected to the All-Pro Team twice. He led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and 2018 and was named to the All-Rookie Team in 2016.
After the Cowboys cut Elliott last year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted they drafted him too high. “There’s a bunch of nuances that go into this running back conversation. When you start loading up, Zeke’s a good football player, still a very outstanding, I’m going to say the word outstanding football player,” Jones said, per KDFW Fox 4. He’s too high for us where he was. So, that has a lot to do with this conversation about running back right now with us.”
The Cowboys are looking for more help at running back after Tony Pollard signed with the Tennesee Titans in free agency. The top returning running back for the Cowboys is Rico Dowdle who rushed for 361 yards and two toucdowns in a reserve role.