Ezekiel Elliott, a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro selection with the Dallas Cowboys, remains a free agent after the NFL Draft and as teams prepared for mini-camp.
Skip Peete, the current running backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who was on the Cowboys’ staff from 2020 to 2022, recently laid out the harsh reality as to why he remains unsigned. He stated the star running back needs to be willing to accept a lesser role and smaller paycheck. Peete said he and Elliott spoke the other night.
“I think that’s part of the reason he’s sitting out there,” he said, via the Tampa Bay Times. “If you’re going to play, I mean, you’re going to be the second and third guy. That’s kind of what the price is. So. that’s something that a person has to be able to see that that is what it is going to be.”
Peete said Elliott fought the drop to running back No. 2 as Tony Pollard’s stock continued to get higher.
Elliott was released by the Cowboys in March after another year where his carries decreased, in large part because of Tony Pollard’s emergence in the backfield.
“I think Zeke is still a good, quality running back,” he continued. “He’s playing 50% of the snaps, so your numbers are not the same, that’s natural. But he still scored 12 touchdowns. He still caught the ball well. He still had numerous third-and-1, and short and goal-line places where he helped us win games. He’s still a physical load.”
During the 2022 season, Elliott had 876 rushing yards – the lowest total of his career but still scored 12 touchdowns on the ground. He earned $12.4 million last season from the Cowboys.
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The Cowboys will likely be going with Pollard as the starter again this season while having Malik Davis, rookie Deuce Vaughn, Ronald Jones, and Rico Dowdle on the roster.
Elliott’s All-Pro days are likely behind him, but he is still only 27 and has many years ahead of him. Once he realizes how teams view him, how he’ll be used, and low of a contract he will have to take, he will then be signed.
