Cowboys: Jerry Jones adds fuel to fire of Ezekiel Elliott return rumors

With Ronald Jones suspended, could Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys reunite with former running back Ezekiel Elliott?

After another early playoff exit, the Dallas Cowboys made changes this offseason to ensure they had a better chance of getting past the hurdle that is the Divisional Round. To free up cap space, the Cowboys opted to release running back Ezekiel Elliott, paving the way for the team to move forward with Tony Pollard. But just before the start of the season, their running backs room took a hit.

On Monday, the NFL suspended Cowboys running back Ronald Jones II for the first two games of the season for violating their performance-enhancing drug policy. With that, the depth chart has taken a hit, especially for training camp. So, what are the Cowboys to do?

During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas Fort Worth, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about the possibility of re-signing Elliott. Jones said that they are “reading the tea leaves,” and that Elliott’s “not ruled out at all.”

Cowboys: Jerry Jones doesn’t rule out re-signing Ezekiel Elliott

Bringing back a player who knows the offense is always a plus in the NFL. But, the two sides would have to agree to a new contract for the upcoming season, and potentially beyond.

Elliott was coming off of a 2022 campaign where he was out-snapped by Pollard 569-558. In 15 regular-season games (14 starts), Elliott ran for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns on 231 carries. As for the playoffs, Elliott just picked up 53 yards on 23 carries in Dallas’ games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers.

With Elliott amid his six-year, $90 million contract, the Cowboys opted to move on from Elliott, allowing him to become a free agent for the first time in his career. While he did express a desire to join teams like the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals, nothing transpired. There was some traction on a potential signing of Elliott, as he visited the New England Patriots this weekend.

As Jones is set to miss the first two games of the season, the Cowboys owner has not ruled out a reunion with Elliott. But will it happen?