During those same two years where his rushing attempts were at its peak, Jones would catch a total of 59 passes for 474 yards and a touchdown. Not only is he a quality ball-carrier, he is also a threat in the passing game. In the two seasons where he averaged at least 10 carries a game, Jones rushed for 724 and 978 yards respectively with a total of 13 touchdowns. In the last three years alone, he has won two Super Bowls and even though from a statistical perspective the 2022 season wasn’t his best, it was more about the lack of opportunities versus the lack of ability. Jones, a native Texan who played his high school ball in nearby McKinney North, has proven to be a dependable player whenever his number was called. This is where Ronald Jones II comes into the mix. With question marks regarding his health still ongoing, it would be wise to have a proven backup to carry the mail if number 20 isn’t as healthy as the team would like him to be. Ronald Jones IIĪ healthy Tony Pollard will certainly make the prospects of 2023 a much more positive one. A healthy, electric Pollard will be key for the team’s success in 2023. Recent news seems much more promising as it appears he is ahead of schedule and his explosiveness doesn’t seem to have been hampered. At one point in time after the injury, concerns grew about how he would recover and if he would still be as explosive as he was prior.

Even after his first 1,000 yard rushing season under his belt, the injury bug finally got a hold of him back in January’s postseason game against the San Francisco 49ers where he broke his leg late in the first half. Many would say it was overdue, but at the same time the question remains on how Pollard will handle the bulk of the carries this upcoming season. Tony Pollard looks to take the reins of the group and fill the void left by the departure of Ezekiel Elliott. So where does that leave Dallas heading into 2023? These four running backs will likely be the new-look Dallas backfield. Interestingly enough, Elliott and Cook were both fixtures on their respective teams since entering the league and both are looking to join new teams for the first time in their careers.

From a cap hit perspective, Elliott’s final season with the team in 2022 came with an over $18 million price tag with the next closest being Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings with a shade under $12 million of a financial hit. By the time Zeke’s days in Big D were numbered, it was quite obvious that the organization badly misjudged the running back market. The emergence of a flashier option named Tony Pollard also was a factor. However, in his final few seasons with the Cowboys, many have wanted to go in a different direction as there was a downtrend in Elliott’s game. In that season where he got paid, it was another stellar season as he would rush for 1,357 yards. Zeke would holdout for a bigger payday and by September 4th he would receive that big payday in the form of a six-year, $90 million contract extension. By the time 2019 came around, Elliott was among the top players at his position.

Even in 10 games played, he missed the 1,000 yard mark by just 17 yards. The only season during this stretch that he would not surpass that was in 2017 when he played in just 10 games due to a six-game suspension. Three out of his first four seasons in the NFL, he would surpass the 1,000 yards mark. For the previous seven seasons in Dallas, the one thing that was a given was Ezekiel Elliott being the franchise’s lead back.

Dallas cowboys roster 2010