It has now been seven full seasons since Ezekiel Elliott became the face of the Dallas Cowboys after being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft. Elliott’s early years in silver and blue were some of the most productive ever by a Cowboys running back, but his production has slowed to a trickle over the last few seasons. The Cowboys have plenty of work to do on the roster before the beginning of the 2023-24 season and limited cap space available to do it. With Elliott’s production trending downward, it is imperative that the Cowboys move on from the franchise runner and free up his cap hit to service other needs.
Elliott is just not productive enough anymore to justify his paycheck. The Cowboys paid Elliott a record-breaking six-year, $90 million in 2019 because he was one of the top running backs in football and the Cowboys were hugely reliant on the run. In 2023, Dak Prescott is the centerpiece of the offense and Elliott averages 3.8 yards per carry as a goal-line specialist. The Cowboys can’t afford to pay Elliott the $10.9 million he is owed in 2023 to be that kind of player.
There is a case to be made that Elliott’s mediocre rushing numbers are nothing but a result of the emergence of Tony Pollard. Pollard’s excellence certainly helped push Elliott farther down the list of Dallas’ top offensive weapons. Since Pollard is a free agent this year, why not hang onto Elliott and see if he can return to his old standard as the lone running back in the system? Because it would be far cheaper to take a rookie on day two or three of the draft and Elliott didn’t do enough with the snaps he did get to prove that he is that much of an upgrade over a late-round rookie. The Cowboys have decisions to make as far as Tony Pollard goes, but whether or not the Memphis product sticks around should have no bearing on Elliott’s future in Dallas. Elliott has to go, even if that means rolling with Malik Davis and a rookie in 2023.
When considering the Elliott conundrum, Dallas has to look around and see where the league has gone as far as running backs go. Gone are the days of running a workhorse into the ground 40 times per game. Instead of leaning on one premier running back, most teams have gone to a committee and looked to the middle rounds of the draft for a competent runner like Dameon Pierce. That doesn’t mean teams won’t use a first-round pick on generational talents like Bijan Robinson, but those kinds of picks will be reserved for stacked rosters looking to add fuel to the fire like the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Cowboys need to use their first-round picks on a rarer commodity like a wide receiver or an interior defensive lineman. Some teams can afford to spend money and draft picks on a frontline runner. The Dallas Cowboys are not one of those teams, and even if they were, Elliott isn’t the kind of running back he is being paid anymore. The Elliott era in Dallas featured some bright moments, but it’s time to move on. It's the best decision for both parties and perhaps a fresh start elsewhere would be a good thing for Zeke, too.
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