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Dallas Cowboys: What Will Ezekiel Elliott’s Workload Be Like?

By Nick Ziegler

Jun 14, 2016; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) runs with the ball during minicamp at Dallas Cowboys Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 14, 2016; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) runs with the ball during minicamp at Dallas Cowboys Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Dallas Cowboys have high hopes for rookie Ezekiel Elliott in 2016, but what will his workload be in his first NFL season?

In the 2016 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick from Ohio St. Many believed that the Cowboys were going to address one of their needs on the defensive side of the ball, but instead, they selected the talented running back.

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The Cowboys already had a pretty good combination at running back on the roster when they selected Elliott, as Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris appeared to be a good duo for the Cowboys. However, the organization believed that Elliott was too good of a prospect to pass up on, and now it’ll be interesting to see how much they use him.

According to David Helman of DallasCowboys.com, he believes that Elliott will be close to 300 carries. In the pass-heavy NFL, that would be a ton of carries for the rookie, as Adrian Peterson and Doug Martin were the only two running backs to total over 285 carries in 2015.

Using a running back heavily wouldn’t be something new for the Cowboys, as in 2014 they used DeMarco Murray a ton in both the running and passing game. In 2014, Murray totaled 392 carries, 1,845 rushing yards, 57 receptions, and 416 receiving yards. Those eye-popping totals for Murray were only in the regular season, as he totaled another 48 touches in the two games that the Cowboys played in during the playoffs.

The heavy workload for Murray did work out great for the Cowboys that season, as it had a ripple effect on the rest of the team. Tony Romo had one of his best seasons as a starting quarterback in the NFL, as he was extremely efficient in the play-action. In addition to Romo have a great season, the running game was also able to help the Cowboys’ defense.

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Coming into 2014, many believed that the Cowboys would have one of the worst defenses of all-time. Instead, the Cowboys’ offense was able to control the clock with their great running game, and the Cowboys’ defense was rarely exposed for their weaknesses.

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett might be looking for some déjà vu in 2016 with Elliott as his workhorse, as the 2014 formula was the most success we have seen Garrett have. Having an elite running game once again will help Romo, who missed a lot of time in 2015 due to injuries. Making life a bit easier for him in 2016 will help hopefully ease him back into his groove.

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In an improved NFC East, the Cowboys will face some good competition from the Washington Redskins and New York Giants, who both will be attempting to claim the NFC East crown. The addition of Elliott into the backfield could be a game-changer for the Cowboys for years to come as he might be a future star in the league.

With the start of the season in question for McFadden, look to see Elliott prepare for a big workload in 2016.

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