Ezekiel Elliott hasn’t reported to Dallas Cowboys training camp as he seeks a new contract. With him out of the picture, could Jay Ajayi be an option?
Back in 2014, the Dallas Cowboys were faced with a dilemma in regards to a running back’s contract. DeMarco Murray helped Dallas win the NFC East as he ran for a league-leading 1,845 yards and had 13 touchdowns.
Dallas made an offer but it wasn’t what the running back wanted so he bolted in free agency. The Cowboys looked wise in that move as Murray didn’t live up to the contract he was given by the Philadelphia Eagles. Even so, they needed someone to replace their starting running back and one option they were constantly linked to in the 2015 NFL Draft was Jay Ajayi.
The Boise State star had a productive career and Dallas loves taking players from the program. That didn’t happen though as Ajayi fell all the way to the fifth round before finding a home with the Miami Dolphins. Fast forward to the 2019 offseason and there’s once again a scenario unfolding that could lead Ajayi to the Cowboys.
While Dallas has one of the best running backs in the NFL in Ezekiel Elliott, they again find themselves needing to make a contract decision. With two years remaining on his deal, Elliott is holding out of camp as he attempts to force the team’s hand in contract negotiations.
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Zeke’s desire to get a secure contract makes sense as he plays a punishing position and has taken a beating already. It’s also understandable why Dallas is reluctant to back up the Brinks truck as Elliott was just recently investigated by the league for a possible violation of the personal conduct policy — which stemmed from a Las Vegas incident where Elliott shoved a security guard.
He ended up not being suspended but this wasn’t Elliott’s first incident. In 2017, he was suspended for six games after the league investigated him for a domestic abuse allegation. Zeke vehemently denied any wrongdoing but the league didn’t agree.
Elliott was also under fire when he pulled a woman’s top down during a St. Patrick’s Day parade, was accused of punching a D.J. in a bar fight and was videoed at a weed dispensary in Seattle during the preseason of his rookie year.
With all this being said, there’s plenty of reason for the Cowboys to bring in someone who can take the place of Elliott and give them a little leverage in negotiations. Ajayi could very well be that person.
Of course, signing him doesn’t come without risks. Ajayi had concerns coming out of Boise State due to bad knees and is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in 2018 while playing for the Eagles. When healthy though, Ajayi is a talented runner. In five seasons, he has 2,516 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
Replacing Elliott wouldn’t be easy but a committee approach could work with a veteran such as Ajayi working alongside rookies Tony Pollard and Mike Weber.
It wouldn’t be ideal but it’s better than going without Zeke at all — which could happen considering the strict way Dallas has approached contracts over the past few seasons.