Cowboys find Ezekiel Elliott replacement
The Dallas Cowboys’ decision to release all-time franchise great Ezekiel Elliott earlier this offseason was all about finances and production.
Elliott was set to count $16.72 million against the cap in 2023 after putting up a career-worst performance the previous season. Dallas saved $10.9 million by releasing the multi-time Pro Bowler.
With franchise-tagged running back Tony Pollard set to handle primary ball-carrier duties moving forward, Dallas figured it could go cheap to find a replacement for Elliott. That’s exactly what the team did on Tuesday by signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs running back Ronald Jones to a one-year contract.
A second-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2018, Jones will vie with Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis for touches behind Pollard moving forward.
This also likely eliminates the possibility that the Dallas Cowboys look running back at any point during the 2023 NFL Draft. The team yielded three mid-to-late round selections to acquire veterans Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore earlier this offseason.
