3 Cowboys backup plans after Ezekiel Elliott signs with Patriots
Talk of a potential Ezekiel Elliott and Dallas Cowboys reunion ended on Monday when the veteran RB signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots.
The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason ready to move on from veteran power rusher Ezekiel Elliott after his productive seven-year stint with the franchise. Tony Pollard took over lead back duties last season and the Cowboys added two new RBs to the roster over the summer: Ronald Jones and rookie Deuce Vaughn.
Despite that, the rumors of a potential Elliott return would not die. Pollard’s injury left doubt about his early-season availability and Jones was suspended for the team’s first two games. Vaughn is a 5-foot-6 utility back selected in the sixth round of April’s NFL Draft. The Cowboys’ other reserve, Malik Davis, has 38 NFL carries to his name.
The options aren’t great, especially if Pollard gets knocked around once the season starts. It’s only natural that fans held out hope for a potential Elliott reunion, especially when the 28-year-old went several months without signing a contract.
Such speculation ended on Monday, however, when Elliott signed a one-year deal worth up to $6 million with the New England Patriots. The concerns about Dallas’ backfield don’t end with Elliott’s availability, however. Here are a few potential backup plans the front office could consider.
Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott backup plan: 3. Leonard Fournette
If the Cowboys want another veteran to back up Pollard and provide experience in the RB room, Leonard Fournette comes to mind. The former LSU star turned top-four pick spent the last three years behind Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, where he won his first Super Bowl in 2021. The Cowboys could value Fournette’s trademark power in goal line and short-yardage situations.
Fournette appeared in 16 games (nine starts) for Tampa last season. He rushed for 668 yards on 189 carries and found paydirt thrice. He also added 523 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Fournette has gradually expanded his repertoire as a pass catcher since entering the league in 2017, which could help him chart a successful late chapter with Dallas (or another team).
A paltry 3.5 yards per attempt does signal Fournette’s age and imminent decline. He has never been the most productive RB in that sense, often reliant on volume over efficiency. Still, Fournette is built like a tank and he can comfortably handle change-of-pace duties behind a more spry lead runner like Pollard.