Cowboys Jerry Jones Explains ‘Pride & Purpose’ Cut of Ezekiel Elliott; Bijan Robinson as ‘Next Zeke’?
The Ezekiel Elliott era ended in Dallas on Wednesday afternoon after designating him a post-June 1st cut.
The move by the Dallas Cowboys will officially free up $10.9 million in cap space and add $5.8 million in dead money.
So what's next?
First, a proper goodbye.
Said owner Jerry Jones in a lengthy Zeke statement:
“We have mutually agreed with Zeke that the best decision for everyone is that he will be able to experience free agency, and we can increase our flexibility and options as well. This is one of the toughest parts of operating a team.
“Zeke’s impact and influence is seared into the Cowboys franchise in a very special and indelible way. He has been a consummate professional and leader that set a tone in our locker room, on the practice field and in the huddle. Zeke defined what a great teammate should be, and anyone that has ever played a team sport would be lucky to have a teammate like Zeke and be much better for it.
“His commitment and passion for winning is selfless, and the accountability he brings everyday earned the respect of our coaches, his teammates and our entire organization.
“He wore the Cowboys Star with pride and purpose every single time he put it on, and we’re a better franchise because of the example he set for veterans and rookies alike. That carried over into our community as well, with Zeke’s generosity and spirit about giving and caring for others.
We have mutually agreed with Zeke that the best decision for everyone is that he will be able to experience free agency, and we can increase our flexibility and options as well. This is one of the toughest parts of operating a team.
“Moments like this come, and extremely difficult decisions and choices are made. For the franchise. For me personally. For players, too. We will always have a special place and love for Zeke and what he means to our Cowboys family, both as a person and a player.
“That will never change.”
Business, in the end, is business. And in that spirit, like Zeke himself, we push on …
The Cowboys franchise tagged Tony Pollard, which will cost them a little over $10 million in cap space, which means cutting Zeke essentially pays for Pollard. But beyond Pollard, the Cowboys are left with only Malik Davis, as Rico Dowdle is still a free agent.
The Cowboys will not go into the regular season with just two backs on the roster; they will add at least one more, maybe even two, and they will have plenty of options, one of which includes bringing back Elliott on a team-friendly deal. Or they could use free agency and the NFL Draft.
After trading away a bag of chips (a compensatory fifth-round pick) for Stephon Gilmore, it seems unlikely the Cowboys will use their No. 26 pick to select a cornerback. But they could use it to draft Bijan Robinson, creating a 1-2 punch in the backfield and an eventual replacement for Pollard.
The Texas Longhorns standout is considered one of the most talented players in this year's draft class, but due to the devaluing of the running back position could be available when the Cowboys are on the clock.
Robinson is often compared to USC's Reggie Bush and Penn State's Saquan Barkley with his combination of speed and power with top-tier shiftiness, making him a handful for tacklers to bring down.
Drafting Robinson could be considered a cap-friendly move for the often joked-about "Cap Boys." The Cowboys wouldn't have to pay Pollard long-term while having another elite talent still in the backfield in Bijan who'd be on a rookie deal.
The next running back will be challenged with one thing for certain: Trying to match the “pride and purpose” of the departing Ezekiel Elliott.
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