Ezekiel Elliott listed as RB1 on first unofficial Cowboys depth chart

The Dallas Cowboys dropped their first unofficial depth chart this week, and a familiar race is back at RB1. Ezekiel Elliott held the top spot at the position.

Elliott signed with the Cowboys this offseason on a one-year, $2 million deal after spending 2023 with the New England Patriots. It’s a stark contrast from his last deal in Dallas, which was a six-year deal worth $90 million that kicked in with the 2016 season. However, the Cowboys released him ahead of the 2023 season, which helped Elliott end up in New England.

Rico Dowdle was RB2 on the Cowboys’ first unofficial depth chart behind Elliott, followed by Royce Freeman as RB3. Five players – Malik Davis, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke, Snoop Conner and Nathaniel Peat – are all options for early RB4.

Elliott appeared in all 17 games for the Patriots last year and made five starts. He totaled 184 carries for 642 yards and five touchdowns, but will look to bounce back as he heads back to familiar territory in Dallas. During his time with the Cowboys, the former Ohio State star totaled 8,262 yards and 68 touchdowns across six seasons.

It’s been an interesting road for Elliott the last few years, and he pointed it out earlier in training camp. He summed up the current stage of his career well as the Cowboys reported to training camp, expressing his gratitude for each year he gets to play.

“The shelf life of an NFL player is three years,” Elliott said, via Jon Machota. “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. 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.”

Of the running backs in the room, Ezekiel Elliott is the only one who’s ever been a featured back under Mike McCarthy. That’s why the Cowboys headman expressed confidence in Elliott’s ability to return to his old self in the system.

“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 said this 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.”