The 2024 NFL offseason featured a reunion for the Dallas Cowboys. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who had been released during the 2023 offseason and signed with the New England Patriots, is back for a second stint.
With Tony Pollard moving on in free agency and signing a deal with the Tennessee Titans, the Dallas Cowboys were in a tough spot with their backfield. They didn’t have much spending money, so they opted to reunite with Elliott.
However, it is a decision that Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes they will soon come to regret. Bringing Elliott back to be a prominent part of their backfield, after moving on from him last offseason, is certainly an eyebrow-raising decision.
“No one should be particularly excited about Elliott’s return. The 28-year-old has lost most of the burst he showcased early in his career and has seen his efficiency dip dramatically over the last two years. He averaged 3.8 yards per carry with Dallas in 2022 and just 3.5 yards per carry last season with the New England Patriots.
The Cowboys simply aren’t likely to field a quality rushing attack this season, which is a big problem. With Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb both slated to be 2025 free agents, this might be Dallas’ last chance to make a serious postseason run. Carrying a one-dimensional offense into the season is something the Cowboys will regret,” Knox wrote.
Pollard departing doesn’t seem to be something that the Dallas Cowboys were prepared for. They used a sixth-round on Deuce Vaughn in the 2023 NFL Draft and that is the only capital the team used on the position in years.
Joining those two in the backfield will be Rico Dowdle and free agent signing Royce Freeman. As Knox noted, there may not be a less inspiring backfield group than the one the Dallas Cowboys put together.
The opportunities to add potential impact players to the backfield did exit, the team just opted to go in a different direction. Not bringing in at least one rookie with a draft pick to develop is a decision the team will regret once opponents are selling out to stop the pass with no threat of being beaten by the running game.
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