Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott: Numbers decline in 2022

Elliott carried the ball 231 times for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns while catching 17 of 23 targets for 92 yards over 15 regular-season games in 2022.

The 27-year-old running back failed to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time in his career, as Elliott ceded usage as a pass catcher to Tony Pollard (ankle) and saw his overall workload shrink as he also fell short of 250 touches for the first time. Elliott remained the Cowboys' primary option at the goal line, however, allowing him to score double-digit TDs for the fourth time in seven NFL campaigns, but that more limited role also contributed to his career-low 3.8 YPC. Pollard is a free agent this offseason while Elliott remains under contract, but with a dead cap hit of a little under $12 million, it's possible the team will elect to cut the veteran loose -- a move that might make more sense if the Cowboys place the franchise tag on Pollard. Per Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News, Elliott is willing to re-negotiate his current deal and take a pay cut to stay in Dallas.