Ezekiel Elliot is back with the Dallas Cowboys after being away for a season, and he's climbed up the depth chart ahead of their first preseason game. Elliot is listed as the No. 1 running back on the first unofficial depth chart, something that he was used to for seven years with the Cowboys.
Elliot signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Cowboys in free agency after spending last year with the England Patriots. The running back is back in familiar territory, especially with quarterback and good friend Dak Prescott.
Behind Elliot on the Cowboys' depth chart at running back lists Rico Dowdle and Royce Freeman.
It was a sad end to Elliot's first run with the Cowboys, as they released him ahead of the 2023 season. His production was down in his final season with the Cowboys, and Tony Pollard emerged as the more consistent running back. Elliot then signed with the Patriots, where he rushed for 642 yards and scored five touchdowns.
Can Ezekiel Elliot find his groove again with the Cowboys?
During training camp, Ezekiel Elliot expressed why it was important for him to return to the Dallas Cowboys, a place where had much success in his career.
“The shelf life of an NFL player is three years. Every snap, every year, one more year I get is a blessing. … I think it was important for me to come back because I have unfinished business,” Elliot said. “I felt like I wanted to come back and be with my guys and take another spin at it.
“Right now, the focus is now, having as much fun as I can. I don’t know how many more of these I’m going to have. And just take advantage of being here and living in the moment.”
With Pollard signing with the Tennessee Titans during free agency, the Cowboys needed to fill a void at the running back position, and Elliot was available. The Cowboys have always been known for having a solid run game, and the hope is that Elliot and the Cowboys offense will still have the same chemistry they had years ago. Though Elliot may be the No. 1 back on the depth chart, head coach Mike McCarthy still has a set plan for the backfield.
“We’re running back by committee, but I think he’ll definitely play at the level that he’s played, I know, in my time here. I anticipate that,” McCarthy during the offseason. “I don’t see any drop off in the way he moves. He’s in good shape. … He’s come in here, and he’s picked up right where he left off.”
If Elliot is able to get back to his old self, the Cowboys will once again be a team to watch out for in the NFC.
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