Why is Ezekiel Elliott's stock tanking after brutal Cowboys release? Out-of-favor RB's fall from grace explored

The Dallas Cowboys made some changes this offseason off the field with a host of coaches moving on, but the franchise also parted ways with running back Ezekiel Elliott.

The veteran running back saw his role on the team switched with Tony Pollard's as Zeke looked to have lost a step last season. From the running back who could hit his head on the goal post on any run, to being a short-yardage back, Elliott wasn't himself.

Part of that is being in the league for seven years, and given his position, the repeated physical blows he took finally seem to have taken their toll. Elliott is designated to be a post-June 1 cut, after the Cowboys made it clear that they would not be offering him a new contract.

But why? Let's take a look.

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Ezekiel Elliott's Cowboys career: How star RB struggled in 2021 and 2022

Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles

Part of the reason Dallas parted ways with Elliott was because of his contract heading into 2023, but another reason was his declining production.

Despite Elliott totaling 1,002 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021, it was clear that the running back had "lost something" in his play. While dealing with a nagging knee injury didn't help, Elliott still didn't seem to be himself.

At that stage he had career lows in rushing attempts (237) and yards per game (58.9). Such was his salary, fans wanted him out.

Then we get to last season.

With Pollard shining out of the backfield, Elliott took a back seat as the running game thrived with Pollard, but was easily stifled with Zeke. The duo switched it up in the depth chart, and looking at Elliott's stats, it's easy to see why.

Elliott posted career lows in rushing attempts (231), rushing yards (876), yards per attempt (3.8) and yards per game (58.4) as the writing was on the wall for Zeke in Dallas.

So those factors likely dictated Dallas cutting Zeke, along with his $10.9 million 2023 salary and his $16.7 million cap hit.

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Where will Ezekiel Elliott play in 2023?

Detroit Lions v Dallas Cowboys

At the time of writing, Ezekiel Elliott is still yet to sign with another NFL team. There have been rumors of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being interested in the 27-year-old, but as of yet, nothing has come to fruition.

The more likely case is teams are waiting until training camp to see if any injuries happen, and then a phone call could be made.

It is a fall from grace for Ezekiel Elliott, who is a two-time NFL rushing champ, but that is the pitfall of the position. Due to the physical nature of it, the shelf life is short and Elliott is finding out that teams don't want a running back seemingly battered and bruised from his time playing in the league.