Cowboys Jerry Jones Wants Veteran RB Back With Team For 2023

Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones said he wants running back Ezekiel Elliott back for the 2023 season.

The team's executive vice president Stephen Jones supported this statement, saying that he didn't see a drop off with Elliott this past season. He also said that it "has to work financially" for both sides.

Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones each said they want Zeke Elliott back. Stephen Jones said he didn't see a drop off with Elliott.

— Calvin Watkins (@calvinwatkins) February 1, 2023

To say that Elliott did not have a drop-off this past season is pretty silly, as the twenty-seven-year-old running back averaged fewer than four yards per carry for the first time in his career. In addition, he rushed for just 876 yards (career-low). Even more, Elliott had just 17 receptions (career-low) for 92 yards (career-low) and zero touchdowns. 

If the Cowboys were to cut Elliott, they'd owe $11.86 million in dead cap, however, that number drops to $6.04 million if they cut him before the 2024 season. 

Tony Pollard is also a pending free agent and will need a few months to recover from ankle and leg injuries suffered in the Cowboys' final game of the playoffs. As a result, it's a strong possibility that the Cowboys restructure Elliott's contract to keep him on the team at a lower cost. Elliott was reportedly open to this, so we'll have to see if that happens.
Photo Credit: Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports