Could Ezekiel Elliott Lose His Job?

The Dallas Cowboys run game last season was the team's worst since 2020, with only 112.9 rush yards per game, all with Tony Pollard leading the way.

With Pollard now a Tennessee Titan, Ezekiel Elliott's return means he shoots straight to the top of the depth chart. But how the rest of the running back room looks at training camp is an interesting watch.

Elliott, it can be argued, is the undisputed RB1 based on his resume. But what are the realities here? And how will the depth chart land after training camp?

Let's take a look at the candidates.

Rico Dowdle: He is already firming as Elliott's backup, and he showed last season that when given opportunities, he takes them more often than not, totaling 361 yards and two touchdowns from 89 attempts. Dowdle also caught 17 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns.

While he is a similar runner to Zeke, Dowdle still has his burst with five runs of 10+ yards in 2023.

Training camp will determine if Dowdle can take advantage of the opportunity in front of him. He backed up Pollard last season, and now he might do the same for Zeke.

There is a chance that Rico is 1B to Zeke's 1A. And maybe more than that.

Malik Davis: With Davis now finally healthy, he also looms as one to watch in Oxnard. In 2022, in his limited opportunities, Davis rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown on 38 attempts, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.

With a skill set similar to Dowdle, Davis could be a nice depth piece for the Cowboys, especially with Elliott in the twilight of his career, and he still offers the pace and power that Mike McCarthy likes.

Could Ezekiel Elliott Lose His Job?

The rest: Deuce Vaughn has been taking some reps as a slot receiver and was used in the passing game during the minicamp, with McCarthy clearly wanting to get him more involved. It feels like a big training camp for Deuce to find a landing spot on the roster.

Fullback Hunter Luepke showed in preseason last year that he can be valuable, but we are already up to back No. 5, and it is unlikely that Dallas will keep that many on the roster. So Hunter must make a splash one way or another - let's make it as a fullback.

That brings us to the players on the roster bubble: Snoop Connor, Royce Freeman, and Nathaniel Peat.

All will need a standout training camp to show that they deserve snaps above the other backs already mentioned, and right now, it seems like a tall order.

Elliott is the lead horse in terms of who takes the first turn in offensive drills. And whoever takes their snaps in pursuit of him in the Oxnard sun will be an interesting watch. It will be a running back-by-committee approach for the Cowboys in 2024, but who will make up that committee?

Training camp will provide us with answers.