The Cowboys committed a lot of cap space to a running back and, unsurprisingly, that didn’t work out for them and the team wound up releasing Ezekiel Elliott to free cap space during this offseason (while simultaneously franchise tagging Tony Pollard and paying him more than double what the Eagles are paying all of their running backs combined).
Elliott has not been great since 2019 and posted a career low 876 yards on 3.8 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns in 2022. The decline means teams may be unwilling to commit much money to Elliott, who is due $6 million from Dallas regardless of who he signs with.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Zeke was down to just three teams he was considering signing with: the Bengals, Jets and Eagles.
It’s tough to imagine that the Eagles would be offering much money to Elliott, particularly after the utter failure of brining Cowboys icon DeMarco Murray to Philly.
That said, the list would make it seem that the veteran running back is looking for an opportunity to win as the Eagles and Bengals are among the top two teams in their respective conferences (at least on paper) while the Jets are transforming their offense and, by all accounts, are expected to acquire Aaron Rodgers via trade.
For the Eagles, signing Elliott to a low-cost offer without much impact on the cap would help to bolster a running back room that currently features two smaller backs and Rasheed Penny, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career.
There’s also no Chip Kelly in the building to sign a running back and try to change his running style like Chip Kelly did with DeMarco Murray. Of course, there’s no way of knowing what Zeke has left in the tank.
From Elliott’s perspective, the Eagles offensive line would offer him the best opportunity to revive his career and try to cash in next offseason. They would also give him the opportunity to play his former team twice and try to show them what they’re missing, much like James Bradberry did last season.
