Report: Ezekiel Elliott 'could continue to wait' for next NFL opportunity, return to Cowboys in play

Ezekiel Elliott is still a free agent, but the star running back could return to the Dallas Cowboys after a wait and see approach, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Elliott received interest but didn’t sign with anyone during free agency. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said it was quite hard to replace a running back like Elliott.

Fowler provided the latest on the one they call Zeke Saturday morning on SportsCenter.

“Let’s go to Zeke Elliott, one of the top free agents still available, most accomplished,” Fowler said. “I checked in with somebody this week who said that Dallas has not closed the door on a potential Zeke return. Now there’s nothing cooking there and it might not happen.

“But I was told that Dallas certainly would re-engage in conversation if he wanted to do that. But he could continue to wait, see what develops in the next few months job-wise.”

Not only did Fowler report that Elliott could return to the Cowboys, but owner Jerry Jones also spoke about the possibility back in March upon his release.

“It was all about making the adjustment, principally, because of the cap,” Jones said during the NFL meetings. “It was because of where we were. That’s not to imply that we didn’t think that, in the grand scheme of things, what we were going to possibly give up there — that Zeke brought us — we would love to have him. But, again, with what we need to do to make our cap work, and with what we can do to improve … 

“That was worth us saving that money on the cap. [A reworked deal] was on the table, and you might say that, to some degree, that hasn’t changed. It won’t until he’s signed someplace else.”

In 15 games last season, Elliott finished with 231 carries, 876 yards, 12 touchdowns and 3.8 yards per catch. The season saw the emergence of Tony Pollard as the de facto lead back. Elliott played a part, but Pollard was the go-to back at a certain point

The Cowboys signed veteran Ronald Jones out of free agency to boost the room. However, it’s unclear how big of a role he’ll have in 2023. Dallas also drafted running back Deuce Vaughn out of Kansas State, but it’s clear that at 5-foot-5, he won’t be the bruiser they had in Zeke. Second-year running back Malik Davis also still has a role to carve out for himself this season.

If Elliott returns to the Cowboys, it’ll be a crowded backfield. But if he goes elsewhere, there could be an opportunity to be a lead back once again.