The Dallas Cowboys are getting very close to being at a crossroads with their star running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Elliott is 26 years old and had three Pro Bowl seasons out of his first six years in the NFL.
Those were his best seasons: 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Tony Pollard burst on the scene in 2019 and through three seasons has been an excellent complement to Elliott.
Could the Cowboys decide to move on from Elliott and feature Pollard in the backfield in 2022?
It seems very unlikely that the Cowboys would trade Elliott, and here are the reasons why.
3. The Golden Age Of NFL Running Backs Has Passed
The era of the running back who is the workhorse for one team for a long period of time has passed.
NFL running backs are now viewed to have a shorter career between the competitiveness of the position and the likelihood of injuries.
Their prime is in their early to mid-20s.
Teams will use draft picks to get running backs and put them to work immediately.
There are many examples of running backs who fizzled out early; Todd Gurley is just one that comes to mind.
Gurley’s NFL career lasted six seasons; he is 27 years old.
Ezekiel Elliott:
– Probably not as good as he once was
– Probably not worth the CAP hit
– Still a good football playerAll of these things can be, and in my opinion are, true
— AverageFantasyFootballGuy (@FantasyAverage) February 24, 2022
2. His Contract
The Cowboys signed Elliott to a six-year $90 million deal.
"This is a terrible contract. Zeke looks, if not washed, like clearly the second best running back on this team."
— @ColinCowherd on Ezekiel Elliott vs. Tony Pollard: pic.twitter.com/Ftysi14acq
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) September 22, 2021
This was in hindsight a mistake.
It is too long of a contract term with too many dollars tied up that could be utilized to strengthen other positions.
No team is going to want to swallow this contract even if they had an interest in trading for Elliott.
Tony Pollard graded better than Ezekiel Elliott as a rusher, receiver, pass blocker, and run blocker in 2021 (via PFF).
Elliott’s 2022 salary cap charge is more than 16 times larger than Pollard’s.
— Pat Thorman (@Pat_Thorman) February 25, 2022
1. 2022 Has To Be “The Year” For The Cowboys
Every NFL team approaches the next season as make or break, but the Cowboys have more urgency than most.
They have young players who are at the peak, and they have an all-star coaching staff.
2021 was a terrible disappointment; the Cowboys fell to the 49ers, reminiscent of decades past in that rivalry, in the wild card round.
2022 is Super Bowl or bust.
If that does not happen, this team and coaching staff will be dismantled.
Elliott will be among those who will likely not return if things go badly in 2022.
His contract has an early and somewhat less costly exit ramp built-in before the 2023 season.
Conclusion
Cowboys fans had high hopes for Elliott in 2021.
He was back to his college playing weight, and it was noticeable in his runs.
Elliott did have four more touchdowns in 2021 than in 2020, but he only rushed for 22 additional yards.
This could be the Pollard factor, but the Cowboys really need a healthy Elliott to power through and wear down opposing defenses as he did earlier in his career.
To be honest, if he cannot do that for the Cowboys in 2022, his stock throughout the NFL will go down.
He could become more like a Todd Gurley who peaked early but faded just as quickly.
In the meantime, he will have the star on his helmet for at least one more season; no realistic or viable trade plans will be on the horizon.
