6 Cowboys Whose Stock Has Fallen Ahead of Training Camp

1. Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back

There was a time when Ezekiel Elliott was considered one of the best — if not the best — running back in football. The No. 4 pick out of Ohio State led the league in rushing as a rookie with 1,631 yards. He again finished first in 2018, going for 1,434 yards.

Zeke was released after seven seasons with Dallas and had 8,262 yards and 68 touchdowns on the ground. He was deadly as a receiver as well, hauling in 305 receptions for 2,336 yards and 12 more touchdowns in that span. Throw in his ability to pick up the blitz and he was a three-down back with excellent durability.

However, he was overpaid. As odd as the Jones family is when it comes to paying premium positions such as quarterback and wide receiver, they were fine with adding six years and $95 million to Elliott's contract in 2019 — when he still had two years remaining. That comically long contract would be terrible at any position, let alone the one where the player takes the most hits.

Elliott was released in 2023 and spent one season with the New England Patriots befe re-joining Dallas this offseason. He wasn't wildly effective with New England but still had 955 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns. That's more than most backs on this roster have in their careers. This isn't to say Zeke is the same player he was during his prime but he's the best option they have, even if he doesn't get the love right now.

More Cowboys Coverage