Ezekiel Elliott may have frustrated us plenty during his time with the Dallas Cowboys, but there's no denying that his short peak was one of the best ever from a Dallas running back. And that's going to keep him in a special place in fans' hearts for years to come.
That's also why Dallas fans are probably watching his free agency more intently than any other fan base.
Zeke's best years are obviously behind him and we don't know what kind of a contract he's demanding, but it's hard to imagine that he's not going to be able to find a home for the season. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he's just waiting for training camp to play out before signing with a contender.
Even rumors around his free agency have been few and far between, but here are the most likely new homes for Elliott this seaosn.
Ezekiel Elliott Free Agency: Top Destinations
1. Kansas City Chiefs
There are two directions Zeke's free agency can go. He can either sign with a weak team to try to get a big workload and payday, or he can accept lower pay and usage to join a contender.
My hunch is that after taking a pounding with over 2,000 touches in his seven NFL seasons, contending is the right direction.
The Chiefs are obviously the contender right now as Super Bowl favorites, and their top running back is dealing with some concerning injury issues. Behind him on the depth chart is a sea of disappointment, so if Elliott is available on a team-friendly deal that'd be a no-brainer.
And of course for Elliott, that would mean a pretty good shot at a ring, remaining in the national spotlight and probably getting a shot at a pretty nice touchdown total since one of the primary roles he'd be able to contribute in would be as a short-yardage guy.
Now what about a team on the other end of the spectrum?
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be in full-on tank mode this season, and Zeke could easily be a part of that if he thinks he's still a real RB1.
The Bucs don't have a ton of cap space, but if Elliott is trying to prove he's got something left in the tank he won't want a long-term deal. As we've seen this summer, the RB market is dead so he won't get big money from anyone this offseason anyway.
Competing with Rachaad White and Chase Edmonds, it wouldn't be hard for Zeke to earn himself a big workload if did still prove to be a legit contributor.
And why would the Bucs do this?
First of all, even when you're tanking you still want to make things fun for your fans, and fans typically love thinking their team is the one who can revitalize a former star. Plus bringing in a big name could really light a fire under White and Ke'Shawn Vaughn to step up and prove themselves.
And as an added bonus, if things did work out with a big season for Zeke then the Bucs could probably flip him for a late-round pick to a contender at the deadline. At that point even getting a 6th or 7th would basically be free money, since any dead money on the cap would just be for the remainder of a tanking season anyway.
Now finally, a team that has been no stranger to marquee offseason acquisitions.
3. New York Jets
The New York Jets have already added one former NFC All-Pro, so why not another?
Set to be contenders with Aaron Rodgers running the offense, the Jets have suddenly flipped the switch from young rebuilders to win-now mode.
They have young explosive talent at running back in Breece Hall and Michael Carter, but that's not nearly enough depth at the position and a veteran presence could go a long way to rounding out the unit.
Plus, Rodgers' lack of patience with young players is pretty well-known at this point, and having Elliott as an option in his backfield could be a very intriguing option.
And don't forget that back in March, Adam Schefter reported that the Jets were one of the teams Zeke had narrowed his free agency preferences down to. It makes sense, too, since this is a potential contender that also has room for him to earn a solid workload.
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