Cowboys set to reunite with RB Ezekiel Elliott for 2024 season

What Does This Mean For the Cowboys?

In short, it means they failed to upgrade the running back position for the second consecutive offseason, leaving the room with big questions.

Elliott was released as a cap casualty after the 2022 season following a 19-12 loss in San Francisco in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Before Elliott was released, the signs that he was slowing down were there, punctuated by the offense entering an anemic stage once RB Tony Pollard was lost at the end of the 1st half of that playoff game with a fractured fibula.

The famous final image of Elliott in a Cowboys uniform is him lining up to snap the ball to QB Dak Prescott and promptly being pancaked by a 49ers defender on a desperation play that went nowhere.

Dallas had several opportunities to address the running back position in each of the past two drafts and free agency windows but refused to do so.

They seem to be comfortable entering the season with a 28-year-old Elliott with nearly 2500 touches on his body at the top of the depth chart.

It's too early in the offseason to determine but if the season started today, the depth chart for the running back position would likely be as follows:

• Ezekiel Elliott
• Rico Dowdle
• Royce Freeman
• Hunter Luepke

Other names who could get named to the active roster occasionally or become staples on the practice squad are Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, and newly acquired UDFA Nathaniel Peat.

What Does This Mean For Zeke?

It means an opportunity to return to the place where he spent the first seven years of his career after being drafted 4th overall from Ohio State University.

Elliott is not the same back he was for the first few years of his career, seeing his yards per carry fall each season starting in 2020.

The blame can't be placed solely on Elliott. Running lanes became fewer and farther between once the offensive line started losing pieces.

Zeke will get a chance to be the Cowboys' RB1, although they likely plan for their rushing attack to be by committee.

He won't return to his former glory behind a revamped offensive line, his veteran savvy and nuances at the position will spell moderate success and allow him to teach younger running backs on the roster how to play the game.

Contract details to follow once they are released.