Report: Eagles among former Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott’s final three landing spots
While seeing the former Dallas Cowboys running back in midnight green would be jarring, it is at least a possibility.
Ezekiel Elliott in an Eagles jersey?
While seeing the former Dallas Cowboys running back in midnight green would be jarring, it is at least a possibility, according to an ESPN report.
ESPN reported Thursday that Elliott, who was released by the Cowboys last week, has narrowed his wish list of landing spots to three teams: the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and … the Eagles.
The Eagles have already signed 27-year-old running back Rashaad Penny, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, to a one-year deal ($1.35 million base salary that could be worth up to a max of $2.1 million) on March 14. Penny, who ran for 346 yards last season in five games, is the newest member of a running back room that lost 1,000-yard rusher Miles Sanders (Carolina Panthers) but still includes Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Trey Sermon. It’s worth noting Elliott and Penny share the same agency, Alliance Sports.
The Eagles, who possess six selections, including two first-rounders, in the upcoming NFL Draft, also have been linked with some running back prospects with Texas’ Bijan Robinson having visited with the team earlier this week.
» READ MORE: Eagles draft: Could Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Jaren Hall entice the Birds after the top four QBs?
Elliott, who will turn 28 in July, rushed for 876 yards and averaged 3.8 yards per carry last season, but saw his workload decrease as the season wore on due to the emergence of Tony Pollard. One area where he remained effective was in the red zone, as the former Ohio State Buckeye rushed for 12 touchdowns, tied for fourth-most in the NFL.
In regard to pass protection, Elliott is considered one of the better blocking tailbacks across the league. Last season, he ranked fifth among NFL running backs in pass-blocking efficiency, according to Pro Football Focus, allowing just two quarterback hurries. Protection from the backfield remains a top priority within coach Nick Sirianni’s offense, and this specific layer aided quarterback Jalen Hurts with tightening his processing time throughout a 2022 season that saw him finish as an NFL MVP finalist.
Elliott was set to count $16.7 million against the cap for the Cowboys, who saved almost $11 million by releasing him on March 15. Over his seven-year career, which has spanned 103 games, Elliott has run for 8,262 yards and 68 touchdowns. If the Eagles were to add Elliott, general manager Howie Roseman would almost certainly assure it’d be a team-friendly deal considering the franchise’s recent history and reluctance with handing out big contracts to running backs (see: Sanders).
Former Cowboys-turned-Eagles include Orlando Scandrick, DeMarco Murray, Miles Austin, Herschel Walker, and Felix Jones.
On Thursday afternoon, Elliott tweeted he wants to go back to wearing No. 15, the number he wore while at Ohio State. That would be an issue with the Eagles, as No. 15 is retired for running back Steve Van Buren, who starred for the team in the 1940s.