Cowboys Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott Has 'Very Little Left in His Legs,' Scouts Say

There was a time not long ago when Ezekiel Elliott was widely seen as one of the best running backs in the NFL, but that is reportedly no longer the case.

Bob Sturm of The Athletic reported Wednesday that scouts believe "he has very little left in his legs, and the word is out."

That is surely worrisome news for the running back who is signed through 2026 but has a potential out on his deal for 2023.

"I believe he has one option for employment above the league minimum, and it is right here in Dallas," Sturm wrote. "I could be wrong, but if I am, it is a very low number. Maybe one year for $2 million or $2.5 million, which is a far cry from what he is used to."

While Elliott is scheduled to make $10.9 million in base salary during the 2023 campaign, Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reported in January he would accept a pay cut if he could remain with the only NFL team he has ever known.

The Cowboys could look to prioritize the younger Tony Pollard, 25, who is a free agent this offseason, but owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones both said they want Elliott back on the team.

It doesn't seem like there would be much outside competition for Elliott if he were a free agent, which is a notable fall from when he led the NFL in rushing yards in two of his first three years and was a Pro Bowler in three of his first four seasons.

The Ohio State product ran for 1,631 yards as a rookie and 1,434 yards in his third season in 2018. He also led the league in rushing yards per game in each of his first three campaigns after the Cowboys selected him with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft.

Yet he posted a career-worst 3.8 yards per carry during the 2022 season and looked a step slower than he did in his prime.

It was his seventh consecutive season with more than 230 carries, and that workload has apparently taken its toll even though he is just 27 years old.

It remains to be seen what the Cowboys will do at running back for the 2023 campaign, but opinions on Elliott across the league aren't particularly high at this point of his career.