There is one Dallas Cowboys running back who bears the majority of weight on his shoulders, and that is none other than Ezekiel Elliott. Ironically, Zeke will have to do that again in 2021 while weighing less than he has since his college days. Besides Zeke, who Stephen Jones once referred to as “the straw that stirs the drink”, the Cowboys have themselves a complementary back in place and a few other options who can contribute on special teams or in other creative ways.
Typically in training camp, the term “best shape of his life” is thrown around a bit loosely. For Ezekiel Elliott though, there may be more than a grain of truth to that claim. He has slimmed down in an attempt to regain some of his speed and quickness and you can see the difference. Zeke had a down year in 2020 but he looks poised to regain the form that made him arguably the best running back in the NFL.
Zeke is and always will be the work horse back, but in order to keep him fresh for a potential post season run he needs a complimentary back. He certainly has that in Tony Pollard. Pollard is a polished receiver but he has shown over the past couple of seasons that he can run well and he can run hard. Elliott and Pollard are locks to make the roster and make significant contributions but beyond those guys is a bit of a mystery right now.
The player that was most likely to fill the third roster spot at running back was Rico Dowdle. Unfortunately, the Dallas Cowboys were dealt a bit of a blow when it was announced recently that Dowdle will miss the entire 2021 season with a hip injury. That leaves a potential roster spot open for one of two undrafted rookie free agents, Jaquan Hardy or Brenden Knox. The ability to contribute on special teams will be a key factor for either player to make a push.
Another rookie undrafted free agent in the mix is Fullback Nick Ralston. In today’s NFL, there are many teams that don’t carry a fullback on their 53 man roster but the Cowboys have been one of the exceptions. Sewo Olonilua was in contention for the spot as well but he was placed on IR just last week. Ralston is a fan favorite and is a viable option as either a Fullback or an H-Back in McCarthy’s offense.
The biggest component that will impact the Dallas Cowboys running back situation is the health of the offensive line. Last season the offensive line was plagued with injuries and the Cowboys were often down early and down big in games. Ezekiel Elliott also struggled with ball security issues, probably because he was trying to overcompensate. That said, it won’t matter how great of shape Zeke is in or who makes the roster if the Cowboys offense can’t win the line of scrimmage and if the team keeps turning the ball over.
*Photo by Joe Glorioso https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode