Cowboys part ways with veteran running back Ezekiel Elliott
After months of speculation, the Dallas Cowboys elected to part ways with former Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The 27-year-old was going to count $16.7 million against the salary cap along with holding a $10.9 million non-guaranteed salary. The move to release Elliot after June 1 will save the team nearly $11 million against the 2023 cap. However, it will result in more than $6 million against the cap in 2024.
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“Zeke’s impact and influence is seared into the Cowboys franchise in a very special and indelible way,” Jones said in a statement via ESPN. “He has been a consummate professional and leader that set a tone in our locker room, on the practice field and in the huddle. Zeke defined what a great teammate should be, and anyone that has ever played a team sport would be lucky to have a teammate like Zeke and be much better for it.”
Elliott had an extremely productive seven-year tenure with the Cowboys after being selected with the fourth overall pick in 2016. He recorded 8,262 rushing yards and 68 rushing touchdowns in seven seasons. As well as that, he had 305 receptions for 1,336 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.
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His 80 career touchdowns are the third most in Cowboys’ history trailing only Emmitt Smith (164), and Tony Dorsett (86). Elliott’s play tailed off over the last couple of seasons due to lingering injuries. Meanwhile Tony Pollard’s emergence made him dispensable.
He will enter the free agent market where he will draw plenty of interest from teams looking to add stability and production to the backfield.
