5 players the Cowboys should consider putting on the trade block
Ezekiel Elliott, RB
Will this trade actually happen? No way. But should it?
While fans will likely balk at the idea of trading the Cowboys’ top offensive weapon, I think we can all agree that Elliott hasn’t played up to the six-year, $90 million extension he signed back in 2019. A move that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history at the time.
And it’s very unfortunate that the 25-year old Elliott has recently developed some major fumbling issues, which has cost the team dearly this season. Zeke currently leads the NFL with four rushing fumbles and had another as a receiver.
@ESPNStatsInfo: #Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has lost more fumbles (4) this year than all the other top 10 rushers in the NFL combined (3), despite nearly 900 fewer touches.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) October 20, 2020
It appears the Cowboys might have made a crippling mistake by giving in to Zeke’s contract demands last year after he held out of training camp to force an extension. And that the better course of action would be to never pay a running back a second contract as quality starters can be found via the draft or even signed as undrafted free agents.
Undoubtedly, when Elliott is at the top of his game, there’s no one better. Arguably the best overall running back in the NFL, Zeke has the ability to impact the game as a runner, receiver, and in pass protection. The bad news is he hasn’t been that kind of impact player this season.
Outside of his turnover issues, Elliott has yet to record a single 100-yard rushing game so far this season. Although he does have six total touchdowns in six games. Yet, it’s not hard to imagine backup running backs Tony Pollard and rookie Rico Dowdle posting similar numbers.
Now, in his fifth NFL season, Elliott appears to have lost some speed on his fastball. As a rookie, Zeke had 14 runs of 20 yards or more. That number dropped to just four last year. Through six games this season, Elliott has had only one rushing attempt go for over 20 yards. His current 4.1 yards per carry average is tied for the lowest of his career.
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The Cowboys’ first-round selection in 2016, it’s unlikely Dallas would find anything close to appropriate value for Elliott on the trade market due to his massive salary. But if they can find a team desperate enough to take on his hefty price tag while also providing some decent compensation in return, the Cowboys might have an opportunity to correct their team-building misstep.