The Dallas Cowboys are ready to re-sign running back Ezekiel Elliott, who will return to the team on a one-year deal after spending last season with the New England Patriots.
The re-signing of close friend Ezekiel Elliott by the Dallas Cowboys is sure to please quarterback Dak Prescott.
The running back, who was selected by the Cowboys with the fourth overall pick in 2016, is anticipated to sign a one-year contract this week after clearing his physical. He will be free to sign with other teams in 2023.
After Elliott left the team last season, Tony Pollard, Elliott’s previous backup, took over as the Cowboys’ most dynamic playmaker from 2016 to 2021.
Elliott left the Cowboys last season, and Tony Pollard, his previous backup, took over as the team’s most explosive playmaker from 2016 to 2021.
But Elliott played for the New England Patriots during the season, while Pollard struggled before being cut by the Cowboys. Now that Dallas has a opening at running back, the Cowboys plan to grant Prescott’s previous offseason wish—a reunion with Elliott—in the coming days.
Elliott is going to compete for the starting job and serve as an example for the younger players in the position, even though the team might still be searching for a starting running back. He will be in the running backs room with Snoop Conner, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and Malik Davis.
The Cowboys, who were linked to both Blake Corum and Jonathan Brooks, chose not to select a player at the position and have been among the less active teams in free agency this offseason.
Prescott, pass-rusher Micah Parsons, and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb are among the players on Dallas’ roster that the team will need to extend big new contracts to over the course of the next 12 months. These players have the potential to earn some of the highest salaries in the league.
Even though contract negotiations haven’t started yet, Prescott is excited about the possibility of Elliott returning to the Cowboys lineup, which may encourage him to stay with the team.
At a recent event, Prescott shared with journalists: “I’m focused on here, right now where I am. That’s how I’ve always been. Anytime y’all have asked me, it’s always been about right now, getting better tomorrow. And I’ve been in this situation before, so it’s OK. I’m fine in any situation at that point betting on myself or playing this year out.”
The Cowboys will be taking a huge risk if they don’t sign Prescott this offseason. When the quarterback hits free agency in March of next year, teams will have the opportunity to sign him without having to give up any draft picks.
Shedeur Sanders, the explosive quarterback from Colorado and the son of the late great Deion Sanders, is a target for Dallas. He is expected to be selected in the first round of the quarterback draft the following year.
Parsons and Lamb, on rookie-scale contracts, are expected to earn over $30 million a season after their impressive performances.
