Following a 2020 campaign that saw Ezekiel Elliott finish with a career-low 16.3 touches per game, the veteran running back has only seen 27 carries (13.5 per game) through the first two contests of the 2021 season. His decreasing role in the offense has drawn the ire of Cowboys fans, especially after Elliott inked a lucrative six-year, $90MM extension following a brief 2019 holdout. When asked if he’s bothered by the criticism surrounding his contract and role, Elliott predictably said he ignores the talk.
“You hear it but what really matters is what’s going on in this building,” Elliott said (via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News). “So I mean, they’re not the one signing the checks. They’re not the ones sending the wires. So I mean … I don’t think it matters.”
Of course, a lack of touches isn’t necessarily Elliott’s fault. As Watkins points out, the running back had 20+ carries in 21 games between 2017 and 2019 while playing under Jason Garrett. Over the past year-plus, Elliott has exceeded 20 carries in only three games while playing under head coach Mike McCarthy. Plus, backup Tony Pollard has transformed into a useful piece in the Cowboys offense, and the 24-year-old has outperformed his teammate through the first two games of the season (Pollard has 183 yards and one touchdown on 23 touches, Elliott has 136 yards and one touchdown on 31 touches).
While Elliott will be hard pressed to reach the 1,756 all-purpose yards he averaged through his first four seasons in the NFL, he’s more than willing to watch his teammates succeed.
“It’s a brotherhood,” Elliott said. “Every week we all got the same goal, the same common goal and that’s the goal to win football games. However we got to do that, that’s what we got to do. I see Tony, I see the work he puts in, he’s one of the hardest workers on the team and he’s very talented. He deserves to go out there and play well.”
Cowboys should shop Zeke and give pollard the starting job
Yeah but good luck getting much for a 6th yr RB with almost 1500 carries and a $90 Mil contract
He can’t get mad(he was out of shape last year) and in McCarthy offense, pollard is the better fit.
“It’s a brotherhood,” Elliott said. “Every week we all got the same goal, the same common goal and that’s the goal to win football games. However we got to do that, that’s what we got to do.”
Essentially, “I got my cash. Who cares?”
*Cowboys Stan*
They won’t shop Zeke. He’s Daks best friend, and still isn’t terrible. It’s also cheaper to keep him than cut him. He also blocks better than Pollard, Tony got beamed up in the LA game that lead to a Dak sack and could’ve been more honestly. Don’t think Pollard would thrive without the threat of Zeke there & vice versa. Love how the Boys are using both of them right now, it’s working VERY VERY well. Lotta love for daddy Jerry & them deep pockets!
Great point about Elliott being the better blocker. That’s a very under appreciated part of a running back’s game. Pollard’s blocking is sketchy at best, and you don’t want a primary back who is going to maybe get your QB killed.
all i’ve seen zeke do on pass protection is destroy would be tacklers. he’s going all out to protect dak from getting hit.
Running backs not babes Derrick Henry and CMC are a dime a dozen. Sure some are a little better than others and have different skill sets but more often than not an RB’s success is a product of the scheme, OL, game script, and play calling. If I were a GM I would draft a new starting RB every few years. Find one you like that fits what you’re trying to do, run him into the ground for 4 or 5 years and then let him walk in FA. Let someone else pay him big FA dollars and just draft another one.
Yup. I thought he was slowing down even before Dallas extended him. He was still really good, but the aging process is pretty hard on RBs. As a Raiders fan, I love Jacobs, but there won’t be anything left of him after his five years are over. That’s just the way it goes.
*not named
“They’re not the ones sending the wires. So I mean … I don’t think it matters.”
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I’m not sure he understands how the payroll cap works. More money to Elliot means less money to some other position.
They NFL has changed the days of ground and pound is over and anyone signing RBs to big contracts beyond their rookie deals are out of touch. Guys like Zeke and Murray were over used in college and the pros and their bodies pay the price after 4 yrs in the league. JJ was silly to extend Zeke and now all the cowboys are doing is restructuring his deal it’s madness. Jones like Al Davis was living in the past and don’t understand how to create a modern style of offense hence signing a old HC
Jerra” Nose Picker Jones” only resigned Elliott because it created an unfavorable media storm and Jerra not the great negotiator” once again lost.
Once the dead cap is low enough he’ll be cut. So 2024 fml lol
This will be his only contract with the Cowboys after this they’ll let him walk…and they should. He’s good, he’s not great.