Ezekiel Elliott has signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, reuniting him with the franchise that took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft. The contract has a maximum value of $3 million, sources told ESPN
It’s a stark contrast from the last time Elliott played for the Cowboys, when he held one of the largest salaries at the position. Now, he’s tied with Dolphins running back Jeff Wilson Jr. for 25th in annual average value among running backs. For context, Elliott is just behind Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, a former first-round pick who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Elliott, of course, comes back to Dallas after a brief absence in which he played for the Patriots in what turned out to be Bill Belichick’s final season there. His numbers as a Patriot weren’t exactly eye-opening, but then again there was little offensive production to go around in New England last year. One thing that has some fans alarmed at Elliott’s signing is the fact that he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry last year, easily a career low.
That said, the numbers are a bit misleading. Elliott held a significantly smaller role in New England than he ever did in Dallas, with just 184 carries on the year; that’s the first time in his career that Zeke saw fewer than 230 carries. He also saw more usage in the passing game, as Elliott hit 50+ receptions and 300+ receiving yards for the first time since 2020.
As a runner, though, Elliott was used primarily in short yardage and goal-to-go situations. While he wasn’t perfect, Elliott did produce in this new role. In short yardage situations – defined as carries with three or fewer yards to the first down marker, Elliott gained the first down on 69.4% of his carries; he hit on 67.3% of those carries in 2022. And on carries inside the 10-yard line, Elliott averaged 2.5 yards per carry with the Patriots, a marginal improvement over his 2.0 yards per carry in 2022.
Let’s take a look at the advanced statistics for Elliott in 2022 and 2023, in an attempt to isolate his actual efficiency regardless of workload:
