NFL Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott urged to land with AFC giants to assist star QB
Running back Ezekiel Elliott remains a free agent after seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
His diminishing production is often cited as the reason for the lack of interest in him. While Elliott is a three-time Pro Bowler, he had 876 yards and 12 touchdowns in 15 games. Those numbers are insufficient to justify the six-year, $90 million contract he signed before the 2019 season.
However, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports suggests that the Los Angeles Chargers sign the two-time All-Pro running back. He cited some reasons that make Ezekiel Elliott a good fit with that squad.
First, the Chargers hired Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator, replacing Joe Lombardi. Moore had the same role with the Cowboys, making Elliott familiar with his system. Having Elliott in tow gives quarterback Justin Herbert another potent option when running the Chargers’ offense.
Additionally, while Austin Ekeler remains the starter for the Chargers due to his versatility, Elliott could provide valuable support and give Ekeler a breather by taking snaps in the backfield. Furthermore, if Ekeler were to leave the team after the 2023 season, Elliott could step into his role as an insurance policy.
Ekeler is in the final year of his four-year, $24.5 million contract, and talks for a new contract have gone nowhere. The Chargers haven’t expressed interest in keeping him longer, making Ekeler feel he was “punched in the face.”
Despite Ekeler’s brilliance last season, the Chargers finished 30th in the league, averaging 89.6 rushing yards per game.
The Chargers finished with a 10-7 regular-season record, enough to break their three-year playoff drought. Unfortunately, they lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their Wild Card Round matchup despite being up 27-0. They even referenced it in their schedule release for the 2023 season.
Other suggestions in Benjamin’s article include Carson Wentz to the Green Bay Packers and Teddy Bridgewater to the Arizona Cardinals. He also sees Jarvis Landry as a good fit for the Minnesota Vikings and Kenny Golladay for the Detroit Lions. Benjamin also predicted destinations for Yannick Ngakoue, Leonard Floyd, Marcus Peters, John Johnson, and Ben Jones.
Is Ezekiel Elliott returning to the Cowboys?
While signing with the Chargers makes sense, Ezekiel Elliott can negotiate with other teams, including the Cowboys.
Therefore, there’s a possibility that he will continue to wear the one-starred helmet. However, the Cowboys have made it clear that Pollard will be their starter, at least for Week 1 of the 2023 season. But Pollard’s long-term availability isn’t sure because he is under the franchise tag.
Elliott’s return to Dallas means he would have to agree on a contract that is nowhere near what he originally had. But even if he agreed to terms with the Cowboys, it’s still uncertain if he will get enough reps.
Aside from undrafted signee Malik Davis, they also brought in Ronald Jones, who played seven games for the Kansas City Chiefs last year. The Dallas Cowboys also drafted former Kansas State standout Deuce Vaughn in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Ezekiel Elliott will have his hands full in competing for a roster spot, making his return to Dallas potentially short-lived.