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Preseason expectations quickly dissolved into a 4-12 record for the Dallas Cowboys last season, with injuries to quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant notably derailing things. Finding an eventual replacement for Romo has to be on the team’s radar, but adding immediate contributors should be the top priority for the Cowboys early in April’s draft.
After letting DeMarco Murray leave as a free agent last offseason, which looks like a shrewd move in hindsight, the Cowboys did not quite fill the void left by the league’s leading rusher in 2014. Darren McFadden was solid as Dallas’ No. 1 back last season, with 1,089 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry) and 40 receptions, but he will turn 29 just before next season starts and the likelihood of adding another back to the mix has been acknowledged by owner/general manager Jerry Jones.
Enter Ezekiel Elliott, who has said he wants to play for the Cowboys and is coming off a good showing at the NFL Combine. His 4.47 40-yard dash was great for a back his size (6-foot, 225 pounds) and his hand size (10-1/4 inches) was the largest for a running back at the combine.
Elliott has drawn comparisons to former NFL running back Edgerrin James, and Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer called his former running back, “the best player I’ve ever coached without the ball in his hands.” A back with a legitimate three-down skillset is rare these days, and Elliott fits that bill.
Jones may think Romo can last another 4-5 years as the Cowboys’ starting quarterback, despite lingering durability concerns, but the team clearly still has only a few years left with their soon-to-be 36-year-old signal caller at close to top form. Elliott is the way to go with the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft, in the interest of turning things around quickly next season and also extending Romo’s shelf life.
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