The Dallas Cowboys backfield situation got a little murkier earlier this week. It was announced that Ronald Jones, whom the team signed earlier this offseason in free agency, was going to be suspended two games for violating the NFL’s PED policy.
Naturally, with Jones now sidelined for the first few weeks of the season, speculation arose about whether or not the Cowboys would look to add another running back to the mix. The name that people mentioned most often was Ezekiel Elliott.
Elliott was released earlier this offseason by the Cowboys and has been met with an ice-cold market. He isn’t alone as the running back market as a whole has been diminished around the league. Teams just aren’t committing any kind of money toward the position, which has left a few people in a tough spot.
While Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has not shut the door on Elliott making a return to the team, it does seem very unlikely. While he keeps the door ajar, head coach Mike McCarthy tries to close it.
McCarthy notes that it isn’t anything personally against Elliott, he just doesn’t fit with the current plans of the team. Bringing in another veteran of his caliber would take away from the opportunities of Malik Davis, Rico Dowdle and sixth-round pick, Deuce Vaughn.
“This wasn’t easy for anybody,” McCarthy said of moving on from Elliott, via Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “This is about the bigger picture. It goes well beyond just the running back room. It’s how you fit it together. Then, there’s a financial projection that’s involved in a lot of these decisions. This is the roster that we’ve put together, and it’s my job to make sure I develop it at all times, more importantly get trained here to go win games.”
It makes sense for the Cowboys to focus on the younger players at the position currently on the roster. While Tony Pollard is back to lead the backfield in 2023, his future with the team is up in the air.
He is playing out this season on the franchise tag but will be hitting free agency again in 2024. Should he leave Dallas, the Cowboys want to ensure they know what they have in their young players, whether it means having to add another running back next year or being comfortable turning the backfield over to them.
For the Cowboys, there is really no upside to bringing Elliott back at this time. He is someone that they know well, which means they also got a firsthand look at his explosiveness and athleticism being sapped the last few seasons while battling some nagging injuries.
