In a move which comes as no surprise at this point, Ezekiel Elliott is set to return to the Cowboys.
The former rushing champion has a deal in place with Dallas pending a physical, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report.
It is a one-year agreement worth $3M, per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Elliott will collect $2M guaranteed, he adds. The 28-year-old is therefore in line to once again take on a notable role in the Cowboys’ backfield.
One month ago, Elliott was named (alongside Dalvin Cook) as a veteran back interested in a Cowboys contract. Signs pointed to the team matching that desire in Elliott’s case shortly thereafter, and while Cook is still unsigned, the former No. 4 pick is back where his career began.
Elliott spent seven years in Dallas, earning three Pro Bowl invitations and one first-team All-Pro nod in his opening four campaigns.
The Ohio State product’s efficiency began to wane afterwards, however, and in 2022, he ceded some of his workload to Tony Pollard. During the subsequent offseason, Dallas retained Pollard via the franchise tag and released Elliott.
That move led to a $6M dead cap charge for 2024, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones publicly indicated that figure would not dissuade him from pursuing a reunion. Taking the dead money charge into account, Elliott will represent a rather lucrative commitment on offense for the Cowboys this year.
Pollard was not retained this offseason, and he became one of several veteran running backs who quickly found a new home in free agency. That created a vacancy atop Dallas’ backfield depth chart and led many to expect a notable investment in the position.
After Royce Freeman was added on a low-cost deal, the team appeared to be set up for a rookie addition during last weekend’s draft. The Cowboys did not add at the position, however, having spoken with Elliott on the eve of the opening round.
With a deal now in place, Elliott will re-join a Cowboys team which also includes the likes of Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and Malik Davis in the backfield.
Following his Dallas release, Elliott joined the Patriots on a one-year deal similar to this one. The 2023 campaign produced career-lows in carries (184), yards (642) and efficiency (3.5 yards per attempt), but Jones still views him as being capable of handling a starter’s workload.
It will be interesting to see how Elliott’s role shakes out in 2024 upon return to a familiar team.
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