The Dallas Cowboys are moving from former franchise star running back Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys made the news official on Wednesday, releasing Elliott after seven years with the team.
The Cowboys commemorated Elliott’s time with the franchise through a series of social media posts and a statement from team owner Jerry Jones.
“Zeke’s impact and influence is seared into the Cowboys franchise in a very special and indelible way,” Jones said in a statement. “… 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.”
The Cowboys decided to release Elliott for a number of reasons. The most obvious one is his declining play in recent seasons. The former fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft hasn’t been on a Pro Bowl level for years and delivered an underwhelming 2022 campaign that saw him rush for a career-low 876 yards.
The move also provided a significant salary cap relief for the franchise. By designating Elliott as a post-June 1 release, the Cowboys will save around $11 million in salary cap while not being on the hook for the remaining four years on the six-year, $90 million extension he signed back in 2019.
The Cowboys will move forward with a younger and cheaper running back in Tony Pollard, who outperformed Elliott last season. Elliott, on the other hand, will hit a free agent market and will likely have to settle for a one-year deal in an attempt to resurrect his career.
