Ezekiel Elliott, Kareem Hunt's Best Landing Spots After 2023 NFL Draft Day 1

The NFL draft is all about young players and optimism for the future, but there are still some notable veterans looking for teams at this point of the offseason.

With the first day of the 2023 draft in the rearview mirror, the picture of which teams could still use some running back help is a bit clearer. Fortunately for those teams, Ezekiel Elliott and Kareem Hunt are still available in free agency.

There was a time when Elliott would have been one of the biggest prizes of the entire offseason and surely wouldn't have been available during the draft.

He led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,631 when he was a rookie in 2016 and did so again in 2018 with 1,434. The Ohio State product also led the league in rushing yards per game in each of his first three seasons and was named to three Pro Bowls in his first four years.

Even in an era in which running backs have not been as important as the past, the Dallas Cowboys found success by selecting Elliott with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2016 draft. That was the same year they also selected quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth round.

Yet things have changed of late for Elliott.

He averaged a career-worst 3.8 yards per carry in 2022 and looked a step slower while dealing with a knee injury and the wear and tear of the position as he surpassed 230 carries for the seventh straight year. Whichever team signs him will not be hoping to make him the No. 1 back.

That means a team that already has a top option but could use some depth and a short-yardage alternative with solid upside is an ideal landing spot for Elliott. Ironically, that best landing spot may be re-signing with the Cowboys.

Team owner Jerry Jones and head coach Mike McCarthy have already said they are not taking a return off the table. Prescott also said he would be thrilled if the running back stuck around.

Between the familiarity with the system, an assumed willingness to step aside for more Tony Pollard carries and the team's public comments, the Cowboys remain the best landing spot for Elliott.

Hunt isn't as proven as Elliott, but he was still a Pro Bowler in 2017 and is someone who can be a third-down running back with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

One landing spot that jumps out for him is the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo prefers to air it out with Josh Allen, and Devin Singletary is no longer on the team. Hunt could help fill that void in a backfield rotation with James Cook, Damien Harris and Nyheim Hines.

That may seem like a crowded room, but they can rotate and remain fresh with Hunt focused more on contributing on third downs.

He could also end up on the Minnesota Vikings if the NFC North team trades Dalvin Cook amid no shortage of rumors. Alexander Mattison would slide into the starting lineup, meaning Hunt could play his supporting role and take over on third downs.

Hunt isn't someone who will single-handedly change the fortunes of a franchise, but he can thrive in a specific role.