Cowboys expected to reunite with former Pro Bowl running back

The 28-year-old spent 2023 with the New England Patriots, posting career lows in rushing yards, yards per attempt and touchdowns in his first season outside of Dallas. With the departure of Tony Pollard for Tennessee, Elliott joins a rather uninspiring running back room on paper. 

The Cowboys' group of ball-carriers now includes Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Royce Freeman, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner, undrafted free agent Nathaniel Peat and Elliott.

Even before Elliott's career-worst year in New England, his numbers were trending down. 

He made three Pro Bowls in his first four seasons from 2016-19 but hasn't been selected to a Pro Bowl since 2019. In his final season in Dallas, he averaged 37.2 fewer yards per game (58.4) than in his final Pro Bowl year (84.8) on just 3.4 fewer attempts. 

With owner Jerry Jones saying earlier this offseason that the Cowboys are "all-in" after an embarrassing loss at home to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card round, this is not the kind of move that will satisfy fans in Dallas after watching their rivals make moves to improve. 

Philadelphia made a splash by acquiring running back Saquon Barkley and added wide receiver depth in DeVante Parker. Meanwhile, the Giants added linebacker Brian Burns, RB Devin Singletary and WR Isaiah McKenzie. 

The Washington Commanders poached Dallas's defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn, to become their next head coach after Quinn oversaw a defense that led the NFL in forced turnovers with 93 in three seasons. 

Jones told The Athletic's Jon Machota about why his team has been so passive compared to other teams this offseason. 

"Our rules to this game is to have a salary cap," Jones said. 

"That means if you pay Zack (Martin) more money one year, you have less to pay next year. That's just part of how it goes and that's what you've seen...there's no question we've operating on the credit card. That's how we've had Dak Prescott plus his great supporting cast around him the last three or four years."

Despite winning 12 games in each of the past three seasons, the Cowboys still haven't made it back to the NFC Championship Game since winning the Super Bowl in 1995. So far, their moves don't appear to be enough to get them over the hump in 2024.