Ezekiel Elliott News

According to Schefter, the running back has narrowed his preferred options down to the Eagles, Jets and Bengals. This past season with Dallas, Elliott recorded a career-low 876 rushing yards on 231 carries, but he did score 12 touchdowns in 15 games. With that in mind, wherever the 27-year-old lands, at a minimum he should have a chance to make an impact as a pass protector and in short-yardage situations for his new team.

The Dallas Cowboys are releasing running back Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott will be designated as a post-June 1 release. He failed to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career last season and is turning 28 in July. Tony Pollard is expected to operate as the Cowboys' workhorse next season if he makes a full recovery from the leg injury he sustained in the playoffs. Malik Davis is the only other back on the roster, so Dallas will likely add via the draft and/or free agency. Zeke rushed for a career-low 3.8 yards per carry in 2022 and only five of his 231 attempts went for 20-plus yards. Among the 67 running backs with at least 50 carries last year, Elliott was 35th in Rushing Net Expected Points per carry (0.03).

There's been discussion of a contract renegotiation for weeks, but more recent reports suggested this would be the outcome for the 27-year-old running back. Elliott should find suitors in free agency, though likely at a price far, far less than what he's accustomed to playing for. With only Malik Davis on the roster behind a rehabbing Tony Pollard (leg), the Cowboys will need to draft or sign some backfield help in the coming weeks/months.

Elliott's release isn't official but is reportedly the expected move out of Dallas, as Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram also reports. The two-time NFL rushing leader would be designated as a post-June 1 cut, while his release would leave Tony Pollard (ankle) atop the Cowboys' backfield depth chart with Malik Davis available as a backup. Across his seven-year career with Dallas, Elliott earned three Pro Bowl nods, falling short of 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career during the 2022 season.

The 27-year-old running back failed to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career, as Elliott's ceded usage as a pass-catcher to Tony Pollard (ankle) and saw his overall workload shrink as he also fell short of 250 touches for the first time. Elliott remained the Cowboys' primary option at the goal line, however, allowing him to score double-digit TDs for the fourth time in seven NFL campaigns, but that more limited role also contributed to his career-low 3.8 YPC. Pollard is a free agent this offseason while Elliott remains under contract, but with a dead cap hit of a little under $12 million, it's possible the team will elect to cut the veteran loose -- a move that might make more sense if the Cowboys place the franchise tag on Pollard. Per Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News, Elliott is willing to re-negotiate his current deal and take a pay cut to stay in Dallas.

Elliott was unable to generate any running room against the 49ers' elite defensive front. The veteran back had to take over as the Cowboys' lone rushing option after Tony Pollard (leg) was carted off the field early in the second half, but he was unable to take advantage of the larger role. The seven-year pro appeared to lose a step after producing the worst carry average of his career (3.8 yards). Elliott still produced fantasy value as a short-yardage back with 12 touchdowns across 15 games, a role he will likely resume in 2023.