Heavy on Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys could move on from Ezekiel Elliott.
It is no secret that Ezekiel Elliott’s reunion tour with the Dallas Cowboys has not gone exactly as planned. Elliott has made a minimal impact on the Cowboys offense as Rico Dowdle has a firm grip on the RB1 role.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes Elliott’s time in Dallas may be done for good at season’s end. Elliott will be a free agent this offseason, and the analyst believes the franchise will move on from the three-time Pro Bowler as well as linebacker Eric Kendricks.
“Ezekiel Elliott has been a replacement-level back and has seen his yards per carry fall for the fourth consecutive season,” Barnwell wrote in a December 12, 2024, story titled, “Offseason moves to fix the 49ers, Bengals, Cowboys and Jets.” “… Eric Kendricks excelled under Zimmer in Minnesota and was a great player for a long time, but he’s not an NFL-caliber linebacker anymore. Teams exploit his lack of range on a weekly basis.
“The Cowboys have to upgrade those spots. So Elliott and Kendricks, the two veteran free agents they signed during their all-in spring, probably are going to move on. Zimmer’s tenure with the team will also likely end after one season.”
The Cowboys Face Decisions on Both Rico Dowdle & Ezekiel Elliott Who Are Both Headed to NFL Free Agency
Elliott previously signed a six-year, $90 million contract with Dallas during his first stint with the franchise. The deal was slated to go through the 2026 season before Dallas released the star in 2023.
After one season with the New England Patriots, Elliott returned to Dallas on a one-year, $2 million contract in 2024. It is not just Elliott who the Cowboys face a decision about as Dowdle will also be a free agent.
The running back has likely played his way into a raise from his current one-year, $1.2 million deal. It will be worth watching to see if the Cowboys attempt to re-sign Dowdle or completely revamp the position group.
Heading into Week 15, Dowdle has posted 152 carries for 731 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Dowdle has also added 33 receptions for 205 yards and 3 TDs through the air.
Ezekiel Elliott Was Suspended by the Cowboys Earlier This Season
Elliott has 61 carries for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns while averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. Beyond his underwhelming production, Elliott has been at odds with the team at various points this season. Things came to a head when the Cowboys suspended Elliott from playing against the Atlanta Falcons on November 3.
“Ezekiel Elliott not traveling with the Cowboys for disciplinary reasons has been building for some time within the team, source tells me,” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones detailed in a November 2, message on X. “It was in everyone’s best interest he not accompany the team this weekend.”
The Cowboys continue to be floated as a potential landing spot for Boise State Broncos star running back Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL draft. CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has Dallas snagging Jeanty with the No. 12 pick in his latest mock draft.
“Is Ashton Jeanty a luxury pick? That depends; were Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs luxury picks?” Wilson pondered on December 9. “Because Jeanty is that type of impact back. He hasn’t been used nearly as much in the pass game, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do it.”
Cowboys Get Bad News Going Into Panthers Game
he Dallas Cowboys are coming up on a significant game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, December 15, and for a squad that’s been dealing with a lot of injuries, it’s imperative that they’re healthy. The team is already forging ahead after losing star franchise quarterback Dak Prescott to a season-ending injury, so keep everyone else healthy is needed to bring the team’s record up from where it’s at, 5-8.
Now, the Cowboys have some news from their Thursday practice injury report in the form of two crucial players remaining limited in practice.
More of the Same on the Cowboys’ Injury Report
The Cowboys’ injury report for Thursday, December 12, practice had cornerback Trevon Diggs and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb remaining limited. Both players appeared in Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals despite their injuries, so it’s possible they’ll do that again on Sunday, playing through injury. It would be ideal to have them totally healthy, though. In addition, linebacker Buddy Johnson missed practice due to an illness.
The rest of the Cowboys’ injury report remained consistent with what we’ve seen as of late. Center Cooper Beebe, linebacker Eric Kendricks, safety Juanyeh Thomas and linebacker Nick Vigil once again didn’t practice. Cornerback C.J. Goodwin and cornerback Jourdan Lewis remained limited. On the bright side, a handful of players were full participants for a second consecutive practice, including left tackle Tyler Guyton, cornerback DaRon Bland, running back Rico Dowdle, tight end Marshawn Kneeland and left guard Tyler Smith.
So, it’s a mix of the good and bad, but having Diggs and Lamb healthy again is especially critical to the Cowboys notching any more wins this season.
‘We Got to Win Out’
During Sunday’s game against the Bengals, Lamb showed that he can get solid numbers even playing through injury. During the game, he clocked 93 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush, filling in for Prescott, closed out the game 16-of-31 for 183 yards and two touchdowns, one to Lamb and one to Brandin Cooks, and one interception. Running back Rico Dowdle had an especially stellar game and notched a career-high 131 yards.
Speaking to press on Thursday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy praised Lamb for his ability to play through adversity.
“CeeDee is an impact player. He’s one of the best players in the game,” McCarthy said per NFL analyst and expert Garrett Podell. “Just where he lines up creates opportunities for others. CeeDee’s a very diligent guy as far as how he prepares for games. He’s a good example that way for our guys. He’s a huge part of our football team.”
Also on Thursday, Lamb told reporters, “We got to win out. So, in order for anything else to happen, all the help that we need, we still have to do our part. … We just need to focus on one game at a time. We don’t need to worry about anything else at this point.”
He added, “We need everybody to hone in on their job and handle their responsibilities and then everything else, just fall into place.”
