Ezekiel Elliott agreed to rejoin the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, NFL Network and The Athletic reported.
Elliott played for Dallas from 2016-22 after the team selected him with the No. 4 overall section of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent last season with the New England Patriots after being released by Dallas.
Owner Jerry Jones said before the third day of the NFL draft that the Cowboys were “keenly interested” in Elliott. Team officials met with Elliott and his agent last week, and Jones said that Elliott’s days as a starter are not behind him.
“I know this, I saw as recent as the end of the year, I saw Zeke play,” Jones said. “And I will tell you he’s good enough to be a starter.”
The Cowboys needed help in the backfield after letting running back Tony Pollard leave in free agency.
Dallas’ current running back room consists of Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman, Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis and Snoop Conner.
If Elliott returns as the starter, the question will be how much tread is left on his tires.
Elliott turns 29 on July 22, one week before training camp is scheduled to begin.
He joined New England as a No. 2 running back last summer but found his way to the field more often when Rhamondre Stevenson was sidelined with a high-ankle sprain. Elliott finished with a team-best 642 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 51 catches for 313 yards and two scores in 17 games (five starts) last season.
Elliott led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and 2018 and posted four 1,000-yard seasons with Dallas. He ranks third in Cowboys history in rushing yards (8,262) and rushing touchdowns (68) behind Hall of Fame members Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.
