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Former Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is facing challenges finding a new home in the NFL.
Multiple general managers believe that he has “lost a step”, according to a report by ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin during an appearance on the NFL Live show.
The free-agent running back might not find a new home soon, Kimberley noted that: “The market that Elliott wants just may not be there.” while adding that: “They (General Managers) think he can be productive but that he lost a step.”
However, despite the situation, Elliott is taking his time to find a new team. Speaking about his plans, Martin said that the former Cowboys running back is looking to “win” and “be patient” in finding a new team.
Ezekiel Elliot was released by the Dallas Cowboys over two months ago on March 15th, and he is still on the lookout for a new team. He was designated as a post-June 1 release, freeing up $10.5 million in cap space for the Cowboys. The 27-year-old running back has been a favorite of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and much of the front office for years, but his play in 2022 reached a low that made even his most enthusiastic supporters question his future.
Last season, Ezekiel Elliot averaged a poor 3.8 yards per carry on his way to 876 rushing yards, which were both career lows. He also ranked as one of the least efficient backs in NextGen Stats’ rushing yards over expected metric.
The Cowboys’ other running back, Tony Pollard, saw his role increasing while his efficiency reached to new heights, making it very hard to justify keeping Ezekiel Elliott around for 2023. As a result, the Cowboys franchise tagged the explosive Pollard to keep him on the roster, as he was a pending free-agent.
Now, Ezekiel Elliott will look for a new team as mostly a two-down plodder that can contribute around the goal-line or in short yardage.
Ezekiel Elliot was originally the 4th overall pick in the 2016 Draft by the Cowboys and enjoyed a lot of success early in his career. He made it to three Pro Bowls, a 1st-Team All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing twice (2016 and 2018) but has declined in recent years, and this report suggests that he has lost a step in his speed.