Ezekiel Elliott vs. The World: Where’s Cowboys Ex Rank Among NFL Free Agents?

The Dallas Cowboys have moved on from Ezekiel Elliott (we think), but given the current guys behind Tony Pollard, Brian Baldinger feels Zeke is still the best option going forward.

Ezekiel Elliott is still without an NFL team after the Dallas Cowboys decided to part ways with the two-time rushing champ. Set to be a post-June 1 cut, Elliott is still looking for a new place to call home.

For all of the “Zeke to the Cowboys” reunion rumors, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has reported: “Per a league source, Elliott has a couple of options he’s planning to pursue post-draft, and a return to the Cowboys is unlikely.”

But NFL analyst Brian Baldinger thinks that despite the Cowboys’ current running back room, having Zeke back at The Star is what needs to happen for Dallas.

“I don’t know if he’ll (return on a vet minimum to the Cowboys),” Baldinger said on 105.3 The Fan. “I don’t think Zeke will sign any kind of minimum right now as much as he would still enjoy playing in Dallas, but he’s still their best option as a one-two punch as Tony Pollard gets healthy and comes back from his injury. There’s a cost to everything, but not at the cost of what Zeke wanted contract wise.”

With the NFL Draft now over, teams are looking at their rosters and trying to fill holes as rookie mini-camp and then training camp begins. Before we get to Dallas’ on-the-roster choices, who else is out there in “competition” with Zeke?

There are essentially three notable guys who is could be argued might be “on Zeke’s level”: Kareem Hunt, Leonard Fournette and Kenyan Drake. And then there is another level down, in terms of overall accomplishments. That group is keyed by J.D. McKissic, Marlon Mack. Dontrell Hillard and Royce Freeman.

 

In terms of “who makes Dallas better?” … it is not a lengthy list.

Maybe that’s why the Cowboys are standing pat for now. For Dallas, having drafted Deuce Vaughn, which is at the very least a feel-good story, some think that the duo of Pollard and Vaughn out of the backfield next season is how the Cowboys will line up.

Vaughn was a beacon of production for Kansas State in his last two seasons, as he surpassed 1,400 rushing yards in both years and totaled 27 rushing touchdowns. He is also more than capable as a receiver when out in space. But … Baldinger thinks there are better ways to go than a Pollard/Vaughn tandem.

“It’s just a lot to ask a guy that’s that size to be anything more than a change of pace back at the NFL level,” Baldinger said of the 5-5, 179-pound Vaughn. “I know he ran through the tackles really well, but he doesn’t have elite speed, he doesn’t really have elite quickness …  You can’t argue with that, it’s just if it’s a Tony Pollard, Deuce Vaughn one-two punch right now at running back, I don’t think anyone fears that at all.”

With Ronald Jones signeda and with Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle as the other options, the Cowboys have enough bodies … but is there enough talent in the room to better Dallas’ 135.2 yards per game from last season (ranked ninth)? That is the question the Cowboys hope they already have the answer to, without having to make another move.

Related Posts

Cᴏwbᴏyѕ ѕafety Jayгᴏп Keaгѕe will пᴏt weaг Nᴏ. 0 afteг all

Cһaпɡe ᴏf plaпѕ; Jayгᴏп Keaгѕe wᴏп’t һaᴠe a ᴄһaпɡe ᴏf jeгѕey пumbeгѕ iп 2023. Tһe Cᴏwbᴏyѕ ѕafety һad beeп pгeᴠiᴏuѕly aппᴏuпᴄed aѕ tһe fiгѕt playeг iп fгaпᴄһiѕe…

Cᴏwbᴏyѕ Newѕ: Tyгᴏп ᴄlueѕ ᴄᴏmiпɡ, fᴏгeᴄaѕtiпɡ Diɡɡѕ’ eхteпѕiᴏп, wһeгe dᴏeѕ Dak гaпk?

OTАѕ will feel a lᴏt mᴏгe гeal tᴏ faпѕ aпd tһᴏѕe ᴏutѕide Tһe Staг ᴄᴏme Tһuгѕday; tһat’ѕ wһeп media typeѕ will be allᴏwed tᴏ watᴄһ pгaᴄtiᴄe fᴏг…

Pᴏteпtial Ezekiel Elliᴏtt-Cᴏwbᴏyѕ гeuпiᴏп makeѕ peгfeᴄt ѕeпѕe at tһiѕ pᴏiпt

Tһe Dallaѕ Cᴏwbᴏyѕ ᴏpted пᴏt tᴏ make a biɡ mᴏᴠe iп aп effᴏгt tᴏ bгiпɡ iп a гuппiпɡ baᴄk пeхt tᴏ пᴏw-ѕtaгteг Tᴏпy Pᴏllaгd tһiѕ ᴏffѕeaѕᴏп. Аfteг…

Cᴏwbᴏyѕ’ Miᴄaһ Paгѕᴏпѕ jᴏiпѕ team fᴏг fiгѕt day ᴏf OTАѕ

Tһe Bᴏyѕ aгe baᴄk… ᴏп tһe pгaᴄtiᴄe field. Tueѕday maгked tһe fiгѕt ᴏп-tһe-field wᴏгk fᴏг tһe Cᴏwbᴏyѕ- bᴏtһ гᴏᴏkieѕ aпd ᴠeteгaпѕ- ᴏf tһiѕ yeaг’ѕ ᴏffѕeaѕᴏп pгᴏɡгam. Nᴏ…

Cowboys 53-man roster, practice squad prediction ahead of OTAs

The Dallas Cowboys begin their offseason work in earnest on Monday. The club has been through Phase One and Phase Two of the allowable offseason schedule up…

Six-time Pro Bowl WR places Cowboys star on top-five list

Raiders star wideout Davante Adams gave Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb a huge compliment, listing him as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. During a recent interview with…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *