Ezekiel Elliott fuels Cowboys reunion rumors with cryptic social media post

It seems like a foregon conclusion that the Dallas Cowboys will re-sign Ezekiel Elliott. A reunion's been hinted at here and there this offseason, but it became real right before the draft when Elliott and the Cowboys reportedly met about a possible return to Dallas.

The meeting was solely to touch base before the NFL Draft and check back depending on how the draft unfolds. In a shocking turn of events, the Cowboys didn't select a running back with any of their eight selections.

Even if they took a running back early, it's apparent that Elliott has piqued Dallas' interest. Fans aren't exactly warm to the idea, but there's seemingly mutual interest from both sides. It's unclear if Elliott has taken any other visits, but the Cowboys' meeting seems to have left him fired up.

Shortly after Wednesday's news broke, Elliott shared an Instagram story with the caption "ACTIVATED!!" from a Dallas videographer and photographer.

Ezekiel Elliott fuels Cowboys reunion rumors with cryptic social media post

Zeke sharing that to his Instagram story minutes after his meeting with the Cowboys was disclosed doesn't feel like a coincidence. There's real smoke behind the reunion rumors, which isn't all that surprising given Elliott is already counting $6 million in dead money against Dallas' salary cap in 2024.

Even though there were better options available in free agency, Jerry Jones is probably thinking "Zeke is already costing us $6 million. We might as well have him on the roster." It's a faulty logic as Elliott is no longer a top-flight rusher, but he could be effective in a limited role in short-yardage work and an asset in pass protection.

However, Jones doesn't view Zeke in that light. When asked about Elliott during the draft, the Cowboys owner was adamant that the 28-year-old can still be a starter. It seems Jones still thinks Elliott can handle 20 carries per game like he did for six seasons spanning 2016-21.

Elliott was released last March by the Cowboys and waited until August to get signed by the Patriots. Even though his burst is gone, he actually led New England with 642 rushing yards and added 51 catches for 313 yards as a receiver. He only posted 3.5 yards per carry (last in the NFL) and ranked near the bottom of the league in terms of yards after contact per attempt and missed tackles forced, per PFF.

It would be great to have Elliott back as a locker room presence and mentor for the team's younger running backs. Rico Dowdle might be a superior RB2 to Zeke at this stage, but there's a strong possibility that neither Freeman nor Vaughn make the 53-man roster out of preseason.

Based on Zeke's cryptic Instagram story, Jerry Jones' cheapness and the state of the Cowboys' running back room following the draft, it'd be a major upset at this rate if Elliott isn't back in Dallas shortly after the draft.

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