Latest surprise Ezekiel Elliott update makes Cowboys look even more foolish

The Dallas Cowboys are 3-4 after a deflating loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football. America's team has been America's laughing stock so far, in large part due to the chronic failures of Jerry Jones and his one-man front office.

Rather than using Dallas' copious cap space to improve a deeply flawed roster this past offseason, Jones decided to pinch pennies — hell, he was pinching dimes, quarters, and a few dollar bills, too — and save money on the margins so that he could make a big spectacle out of extending Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

In all fairness, Prescott and Lamb both received historic paydays from Jones' own pocket, but the rest of the Cowboys' roster suffered as a result. Every team needs to make tough decisions once their core pieces get expensive, but no front office has more flagrantly neglected a "contending" roster than Dallas.

These are the rewards you reap for such an approach.

Perhaps the epitome of Jones' embarrassing offseason was signing Ezekiel Elliott as the starting running back. After he flamed out of Dallas and struggled on a nothing contract for a bad New England team, Jones thought it'd be a bright idea to reinstall Elliott as Dallas' lead runner. Tony Pollard left in free agency, and several other top-flight RBs changed teams — Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon, Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, just to name a few. Jerry didn't think any were worth their modest prices.

Elliott has been a complete non-factor this season, averaging a career-low 3.1 yards per carry with 149 yards through seven games. Dallas is the worst running team in the NFL by a large margin, which makes life extremely difficult on Dak Prescott and the Dallas pass-catchers. There isn't a more predictable offense.

Now, a new revelation paints the Elliott signing in an even grimmer light.

Ezekiel Elliott won't travel to Atlanta with Cowboys for 'disciplinary reasons'

The situation has been "building for a while," per Cowboys insider Clarence Hill Jr., who called himself "dumbfounded" by the news. Elliott is a beloved figure in Dallas, but this season has been a strain on his reputation. Now... it could get worse.

How do the fans feel about Elliott sudden scratch? Well...

Rico Dowdle and Dalvin Cook are in line for more touches with Elliott out of commission, which is probably the most depressing sentence I've typed all year. The Cowboys will replace one washed vet with another, leaning on the allure of past accomplishments to cover up their blatant incompetence in the present.

Elliott hasn't been able to hit a gap and explode for a big gain all season. It has felt that way, at least. The Cowboys' issues go well beyond the RB position, but it's impossible to contend for a postseason spot, much less the Super Bowl, if defenses don't even need to pretend to guard against the run. The Cowboys are airing it out all game, every game, and that's easy for a defense to plan for.

We are still awaiting more information on exactly why Elliott is being kept out of Sunday's game, but rest assured that Jones will do nothing to meaningfully improve the situation before the Nov. 5 trade deadline.