Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) before action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Chargers sign RB Ezekiel Elliott to practice squad

Running back Ezekiel Elliott joined the practice squad of the Los Angeles Chargers after wide receiver Laviska Shenault was released on Tuesday.

Elliott, 29, was released by the Dallas Cowboys on New Year’s Eve, ending his second stint with the team. The Chargers are headed to the postseason, starting with a visit to Houston in the wild-card round on Saturday.

“Competitors welcome at the Los Angeles Chargers,” coach Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday. “Great to see him. He’s here and he’ll start having at it.”

Elliott and Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa were teammates at Ohio State before they entered the NFL on back-to-back selections in the top five of the 2016 draft. Bosa went No. 3 before the Cowboys took Elliott fourth.

Elliott has six career playoff appearances, all with Dallas from 2016-22, and 393 rushing yards with two TDs in his postseason career.

The Chargers’ depth chart at running back was a concern down the stretch.

J.K. Dobbins missed four games with a knee sprain but returned while No. 2 back Gus Edwards is dealing with an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the past two games.

Dobbins led the team with 905 rushing yards during the regular season, followed by Edwards with 365 and then quarterback Justin Herbert with 306. The next-leading running back was Kimani Vidal with just 155 yards.

Dallas released Elliott with one game remaining in the regular season. He ranks third in Cowboys history with 8,488 career rushing yards, behind only Tony Dorsett (12,036) and the NFL rushing king Emmitt Smith, who had 17,162 of his record 18,355 yards in a Dallas uniform.

Elliott rushed for just 226 yards and three touchdowns on 74 carries for Dallas this season while also catching 12 passes for 69 yards. The two-time NFL rushing leader gained at least 979 yards in each of his first six seasons before his yardage began to spiral downward.

Elliott had 876 rushing yards in 2022 before the Cowboys released him following the season. He played for the New England Patriots in 2023 and rushed for 642 yards and three touchdowns.

This season, Elliott returned to Dallas. He rushed for 40 yards in the season-opening victory against the Cleveland Browns but reached 30 just twice more before being released.

–Field Level Media

Nov 3, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cowboys to proceed with Rico Dowdle as lead RB

Looking for an infusion of energy, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Thursday the team will move forward with Rico Dowdle as the lead running back over Ezekiel Elliott.

The public declaration of moving on from the running-back-by-committee setup confirmed what already was evident, with Dowdle making seven starts this season to two for Elliott. The former undrafted free agent out of South Carolina also leads the team in carries (83) and yards rushing (374).

“Definitely, you have to get him the ball,” McCarthy told reporters about Dowdle. “That’s my focus to continue to get him opportunities. He’s the lead back.”

Without a rushing touchdown this season, Dowdle does have three receiving TDs on 24 catches for 166 yards.

It has been a rough season for the Cowboys, who are just 3-6 and on a four-game losing streak after Sunday’s 34-6 domination by the Philadelphia Eagles. Dowdle’s 53 yards rushing against the Eagles were more than the 45 yards passing from quarterback Cooper Rush on 23 attempts.

Dowdle, 26, is in his fourth NFL season, not counting 2021, which he missed with a hip injury. He was the third-string back in 2022 and was backup to Tony Pollard last season. Elliott, drafted by the Cowboys with the No. 4 overall pick in 2016, spent seven seasons with Dallas before signing a one-year free agent deal with the New England Patriots in 2023.

In his return to the Cowboys in 2024, the 29-year-old Elliott has just 171 yards on 54 carries with two touchdowns.

Dowdle has played in 44 career games since 2020 but did not make a start until this season. He has gained 759 yards rushing with two touchdowns on 179 carries and also has 41 career receptions for 310 yards and five TDs.

The Cowboys host the Houston Texans (6-4) on Monday.

–Field Level Media

Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) takes the field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs active vs. Falcons

Dallas Cowboys All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs is active for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Diggs, who was listed as questionable, did not participate in practice this week while dealing with a calf injury sustained in Dallas’ 30-24 setback to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Signed to a five-year, $97 million contract extension in the summer of 2023, Diggs has recorded 28 tackles and an interception in seven games (all starts) this season.

While Diggs is active, the Cowboys (3-4) will be without running back Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott did not travel with the team because of disciplinary reasons, multiple outlets reported.

Fellow running back Rico Dowdle is expected to be back in action after sitting out the 49ers game due to illness. Dalvin Cook was elevated from the practice squad for the second straight week.

The Cowboys listed linebacker Micah Parsons, quarterback Trey Lance, cornerbacks Andrew Booth and DaRon Bland, defensive end K.J. Henry and offensive tackle Matt Waletzko as inactive.

As for the Falcons (5-3), they listed the following players as inactive: running back Jase McClellan, linebackers JD Bertrand and Troy Andersen, defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus, offensive linemen Elijah Wilkinson and Jovaughn Gwyn, and tackle Brandon Parker.
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–Field Level Media

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) celebrates his first down run against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (disciplinary reasons) out vs. Falcons

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott will not play in Sunday’s game against the host Atlanta Falcons because of disciplinary reasons, ESPN reported on Saturday.

The Cowboys since have announced that Elliott will not travel with the team to Atlanta and will be inactive for the game.

Fellow running back Rico Dowdle is expected to be back in action after sitting out Dallas’ 30-24 setback to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday due to illness. Dalvin Cook was elevated from the practice squad for the second straight week.

The Cowboys (3-4) have lost two straight heading into Sunday’s game versus the Falcons (5-3), who have won four of their last five games.

Elliott, 29, has 48 carries for 149 yards and two touchdowns in seven games this season. The three-time Pro Bowl selection signed a one-year contract with Dallas in April.

Elliott played for Dallas from 2016-22 after the team selected him No. 4 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent last season with the New England Patriots after being released by Dallas.

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 (8,411) and rushing touchdowns (70) behind Hall of Fame members Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.

–Field Level Media

NFL New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook

Reports: Cowboys signing RB Dalvin Cook

The Dallas Cowboys are signing running back Dalvin Cook, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

ESPN reported Cook will start off on the practice squad.

He worked out for the team on Tuesday and will be part of a reconfigured Cowboys backfield featuring Ezekiel Elliott.

Contract terms were not disclosed.

Cook, 29, has rushed for 6,207 yards and 47 touchdowns in 88 NFL games (73 starts) over seven seasons since being a second-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2017. He also has 236 receptions for 1,872 yards and five scores.

Cook enjoyed four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons on the ground for the Vikings from 2019-22 before shoulder surgery derailed him. He established career highs of 1,557 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground in just 14 games (all starts) in 2020.

Minnesota released him in June 2023, and Cook had a disappointing 15-game run for the New York Jets last season, when he rushed for just 214 yards before being let go in early January.

The Baltimore Ravens picked up Cook, and he rushed for 23 yards on eight carries during a playoff victory over the Houston Texans. He didn’t play in the following week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

Tony Pollard led Dallas with 1,005 rushing yards last season. He signed a three-year, $21.75 million free-agent deal with the Tennessee Titans in the offseason.

The Cowboys open the season Sept. 8 on the road against the Cleveland Browns.

–Field Level Media

Oct 1, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) hugs New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) after the game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys bring back RB Ezekiel Elliott

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.

–Field Level Media

New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) celebrates his 6-yard touchdown run.

Jerry Jones, Cowboys ‘keenly interested’ in Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed interest in the team welcoming back Ezekiel Elliott.

Jones addressed reporters on Friday after the completion of the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Cowboys did not select a running back in the first two days of the three-day event.

“First of all, the draft’s not over and that’s a thought,” Jones said, after being asked if the team’s decision against selecting a running back thus far was about how the draft has progressed or if the team is comfortable with its ground attack.

“And it was a long time before a running back was taken in today’s draft. But we also are keenly interested in seeing what the future might look like with Zeke.”

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.

While no public agreement is in place, the Cowboys met with Elliott and his agent earlier this week. Jones also 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 appear to be in need of 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.

Elliott, who turns 29 on July 22, stepped up last season after Patriots running back 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.

–Field Level Media

Dec 31, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) reacts to scoring a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Cowboys, RB Ezekiel Elliott open to reunion

Free agent running back Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys have mutual interest in working together, ESPN reported.

It’s understandable on both fronts. The Cowboys, after all, are in need of help in the backfield after letting running back Tony Pollard leave in free agency, while Elliott needs employment.

Dallas’ current running back room consists of Deuce Vaughn, Malik Davis, Snoop Conner and Hunter Luepke with Rico Dowdle an unrestricted free agent.

Elliott, who turns 29 on July 22, stepped up last season after New England Patriots running back 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. The 2016 first-round pick (fourth overall) ranks third in Cowboys history in rushing yards (8,262) and rushing touchdowns (68) behind Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett.

–Field Level Media