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The Dallas Cowboys made headlines in a positive way for the first time this offseason after signing running back Ezekiel Elliott to a one-year deal after he spent one year away from the franchise with the New England Patriots.
After losing Tony Pollard in free agency to the Tennessee Titans, there are plenty of available touches in the Cowboys’ backfield, and Zeke might see more of them than many fans originally thought he would.
The Athletic’s Jon Machota quoted Cowboys VP of Player Personnel Will McClay as saying, “Zeke’s a winning, starting running back in the league. You turn on the tape, you saw him do things, running power gap scheme, running inside/outside zones, helping in pass protection. All those things to show that the ability was still there.”
Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay on Dallas signing Ezekiel Elliott: “Zeke’s a winning, starting running back in the league. You turn on the tape, you saw him do things, running power gap scheme, running inside/outside zones, helping in pass protection. All those things…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 1, 2024
McClay added that Zeke is a No. 1 guy and a leader, while also saying, “I think the running back position in this day and age is not that old school one guy is the lead back and the others fill in. It’s a group by committee. And what he’ll add to that group, we’re excited about.”
Elliott played the first seven years of his career in Dallas after being selected fourth overall in the 2016 draft and spent last year in New England, where he had 642 yards and three touchdowns on the ground as well as 51 catches for 313 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Zeke is still just 28, and while he has a lot of miles on his tires, this team could use a back who can step in and handle a heavy workload.
We’ll see if he can dial back the clock a bit.
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