Heading into the offseason, running back was clearly viewed as a position of need for the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Pollard was expected to leave via free agency, opening the door for Jerry Jones to potentially sign or draft someone. Derrick Henry was a popular name linked with Dallas, with Henry even admitting he wanted to play for the Cowboys.
Jones decided to make a different free agent signing, though. A reunion with Ezekiel Elliott was brought to life, with the former No. 4 overall pick heading back to Dallas after a season with the New England Patriots.
In Jones’ eyes, Elliott brings something Dallas desperately missed last season, a short yardage back. And while some were critical of the running back’s performances in New England, Jones found the positives.
“I thought, in Zeke, we really had an opportunity,” Jones said. “I know he really wanted to get back with the Cowboys. I personally thought that his work there in New England was better than maybe a lot of other people evaluated it. I thought he did carry the mail in critical times for them… I have more belief that Zeke gives us what we need in our short yardage than what a lot of fans do.”
Elliott played in all 17 games last season for the Patriots, starting in five. Career lows across the board followed, only having 184 carries for 642 yards and three touchdowns. A 3.5 yards per attempt was an all-time low too and 0.3 YPA worse than his final season with the Cowboys.
Jones did not take a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft either. Despite publicly praising Texas‘ Jonathon Brooks ahead of Day 2, the Carolina Panthers took him before the Cowboys were on the clock.
As for Henry, the NFL’s carry leader in four out of the last five seasons, he is set to make his season debut Thursday night for the Baltimore Ravens. Henry has rushed for over 1,000 yards the past two years and scored double-digit touchdowns in six straight campaigns.
While the running back might have been interested in wearing the star, Jones believes in what Elliott brings to Dallas.
