Mike McCarthy has decided to rest his starters in preseason, which means Dallas Cowboys fans won't see Dak Prescott, Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Zack Martin and Tyler Smith until the Week 1 opener in Cleveland. There's no reason to put any of those players in harms way.
What has been surprising, though, is that Ezekiel Elliott has gotten the same treatment as the Cowboys' stars. While Elliott is one of the best running backs of his generation, it is fair to question what he has done to have seemingly cemented a spot on the roster.
Other than being established in the league, the answer is nothing. It unfortunately backs the notion that the Cowboys view Elliott as their starting running back. After Saturday's preseason win, though, fans are starting to question what Elliott does better than veteran Royce Freeman.
Cowboys fans think Royce Freeman is better than Ezekiel Elliott
A surprise standout in training camp, Freeman missed the first preseason game with a groin injury. Freeman returned on Saturday and put forth a strong performance with seven carries for 32 yards. That stat line doesn't jump off the screen, but Freeman impressed, particularly with his power and ability to drive through contact.
He didn't force any missed tackles, but he showed good vision and averaged 2.43 yards after contact, per Pro Football Focus.
In the simplest of terms, Freeman is not easy to bring down. At 6-foot and 229 pounds, Freeman isn't know for his straight-line speed, but he is undoubtedly more elusive and explosive than the 29-year-old. It can also be argued that Freeman is more difficult to tackle than Elliott. It's certainly a conversation.
While Freeman turned 28 in February, he only has 471 carries in his career. Zeke had 322 carries as a rookie eight years ago. Whereas Freeman is a fresh 28, Elliott is long in the tooth for a running back. He has over 2,000 carries on his body and started to "break down" two seasons ago.
Rico Dowdle is the best back on the roster. That much is obvious. Hunter Luepke will likely make the team as a core special teamer and gadget player on offense. Deuce Vaughn was awesome on Saturday, but his job is anything but safe. With Elliott being a roster lock, Freeman could be the odd man out despite being arguably the second-best back on the team.
That isn't to say Elliott can't be effective in 2024. His IQ and ability to fall forward after contact will prove clutch in short-yardage situations. He is also stout in pass protection, a willing leader and great locker room presence. But that shouldn't be enough for him to waltz on the roster like this is 2018, especially when players like Freeman might be better than him.
