Ezekiel Elliott Still In The Mix?
May 10th, 2023
Former Dallas RB Ezekiel Elliott.
This is an old rumor, but now with fresh legs. Maybe not fresh enough legs.
One reason one of the Joes is convinced the Bucs are setting themselves up to draft a quarterback is the Bucs have done nothing to upgrade the league’s worst rushing attack this offseason.
(No, Joe doesn’t count Chase Edmonds — what, Dare Ogunbowale didn’t have weekends free this fall? — as an upgrade to Leonard Fournette, sorry.)
But there is a former Pro Bowl running back who is unemployed, Ezekiel Elliott. And a BSPN NFL insider suggests the Bucs should not be counted out.
Jeremy Fowler, per Erin Walsh of Bleacher Report, said on air that if the Cowboys don’t bring Elliott back, look out for the Bucs.
“The Bucs could be an option for him,” Fowler said. “I’m told they’re looking for an RB2 behind Rachaad White. The problem could be the money. … Bucs probably wouldn’t want to spend all that much, but could be an option there.”
Joe doesn’t know if Elliott has lost his legs but Joe has heard various ex-NFL suits in the Fourth Estate claim the reasons why the Cowboys didn’t run Elliott outside the tackles last season is because his wheels were run down.
And a running back with bad wheels is like a quarterback with a bum arm. Useless.
May 10th, 2023 at 4:01 am
Nope. Hard pass. Sean Tucker? The udfa out of ‘Cuse should be good enough, as long as he’s healthy, from what I’ve been told.
May 10th, 2023 at 5:06 am
He could help w the tanking
May 10th, 2023 at 5:28 am
If the Bucs are setting themselves up to draft a quarterback, why would the Bucs upgrade the league’s worst rushing attack? That dog doesn’t hunt
May 10th, 2023 at 5:34 am
Would be a better option short yardage and goalline and quality insurance. He wasn’t a big outside the tackle runner to begin with
May 10th, 2023 at 5:37 am
I guess Vaughn really isn’t that good.
May 10th, 2023 at 6:26 am
Zeke will sign with a contender at the right time, he is not going to play for Pennie’s with the Bucs
May 10th, 2023 at 6:26 am
No way dude we don’t have any money and no one wants yto play for Baker Mayfield. Throw this season and next season in the toilet.
May 10th, 2023 at 6:54 am
It’s not up to internet commenters to “hard pass” or clamor for any player. It’s entirely up to GM Licht. And we should trust his judgement on such matters as to whether Zeke Elliott would help us improve our running game or not.
Money factors in, also his ability to contribute when running backs typically have relatively short careers due to all the wear and tear involved with running the ball. Attitude also figures in. Dave Canales will certainly weight in.
May 10th, 2023 at 6:57 am
|the Bucs have done nothing to upgrade the league’s worst rushing attack this offseason.|
Joe what do you mean? Getting rid of Leftwich upgrades the running game!!
May 10th, 2023 at 6:58 am
There just has to be a big name at every position I guess!!! Veterans but also young talent who turn into stars but apparently media thinks it happens the opposite way. White was drafted in the third round so what makes you think that just because we draft another this year they’ll be anymore successful than him? It’s because media ifs desperate for a fresh name
You could argue the Bucs did upgrade by firing leftwich and getting rid of that old throwback run scheme. Don’t know what you guys expect but went back can be successful behind a good scheme and o line.
Just because they didn’t get you a big name doesn’t mean they are angling for the first pick in the draft because that’s what it will take to get the best quarterback so the logic is ridiculous
May 10th, 2023 at 7:42 am
If we were after the number one QB in the draft next year, why fire Leftwich and hire a new OC? Why bring in Mayfield?
May 10th, 2023 at 7:51 am
Please no. Was not impressed watching him run the last 2 years at all. Never sign a RB on the decline
May 10th, 2023 at 7:53 am
Zeke wants money
….Bucs don’t have money
….way past prime
Just a bad idea!!!!
May 10th, 2023 at 8:15 am
I love all Buc players….but I would have a hard time warming up to ZE…..never liked him for some reason & it wasn’t because he was a Cowgirl.
May 10th, 2023 at 8:15 am
No
May 10th, 2023 at 8:16 am
There’s no tread left on those tires…
He turned into a slow plodding RB almost overnight; well actually once he got his payday it was all downhill after that…
May 10th, 2023 at 8:16 am
No….No….No
May 10th, 2023 at 8:18 am
Umm we just got rid of a highly paid slow footed RB.
No thanks
Next rummor please mister Fowler.
May 10th, 2023 at 8:31 am
Nah, we gotta turn Sneak into Rashaad Penny
May 10th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Just put some fix a flat. Will Glazers get some Cash for Clunker?
May 10th, 2023 at 8:41 am
Pass
May 10th, 2023 at 8:58 am
Forget Elliott. He’s done. May be good to spot the RB1 now and then, but as a primary back his heyday is gone. Also, I’ve said it before. I’m not sure the Bucs running game resulted from a lack of quality RBs. It could have been the play calling or scheme. Let’s see what Canales brings to the table. If the running game improves with the same players in the building we’ll know it was Leftwich.
May 10th, 2023 at 9:00 am
No Thanks, 5 seasons ago sure, today No Thanks
May 10th, 2023 at 9:04 am
Don’t do it. Time to go with what they’ve got and give Keyshawn and White a real chance. If the hole is there, they should be able to find it.
May 10th, 2023 at 9:13 am
Thanks Duane for taking the captain obvious mantle for the day. Really taking the fun out of the comments board aren’t you. I guess we can’t debate at the local watering holes either, since Licht isn’t considering those conversations?
May 10th, 2023 at 9:13 am
Know who doesn’t have fresh legs? THAT guy. No thanks.
May 10th, 2023 at 9:14 am
And shut up DOOWAYYYYNE
May 10th, 2023 at 9:16 am
I would rather the Bucs sign Kareem Hunt. He is also available, has more tread left on his tires and would cost half as much…
May 10th, 2023 at 9:36 am
Kinda had my fill of old and slow running back signings.
May 10th, 2023 at 9:38 am
He’s been worse every year since 2019. Last season he ran for 3.8 YPC while Tony Pollard ran for 5.2… behind the same line, running the same scheme. Pollard has outperformed him every year he’s been in the league. Elliott is okayish but nothing special. He’ll be 28 this summer, not even very old by RB standards but he definitely seems to be on the decline.
Definitely pass on him… of course, I wanted us to pass on LeSean McCoy, Gio Bernard, Antonio Brown, Richard Sherman, Kyle Rudolph, and Akiem Hicks… but most of our fans desperately wanted names they recognized. I recognized them as well, recognized them as well past their primes and frequently injured. Zeke doesn’t get hurt so much (yet) but he will do little add to the team. He doesn’t play special teams and would mostly be a short yardage back. Not worth the money or the wasted roster spot.
May 10th, 2023 at 10:01 am
I’ll say it again: Zeke will never sign with the Bucs, because we don’t have that red Salvation Army kettle to jump into.
May 10th, 2023 at 11:04 am
I’m confident the OL will be much improved over last season, and the new OC has to be an upgrade. We have enough to win the division. Hopefully Tucker can contribute and Trask beats out the midget.
May 10th, 2023 at 11:18 am
Why bother? If he’s 100% healthy and will play at the vet minimum and Skip Peete gives him a thumbs up, then maybe. But we’re still trying to get younger and faster, so I don’t understand why they’d consider it. Isn’t he kind of a jackass too?
May 10th, 2023 at 11:41 am
Gonna have to disagree with the guy that has the same name. Zeke has been a liability and a disappointment to his previous franchise for many years. If they want a retread, they should just go work out a deal with Lenny. He has a bad wheel, but can catch, and doesnt put the ball on the turf. It is concerning when a team with a horrible running game looks to improve, but doesnt address the rb position. The addition by subtraction mantra is being fully embraced. He are gonna find out.
May 10th, 2023 at 12:16 pm
Isaiah Bowser, UCF RB, is still available.
May 10th, 2023 at 12:18 pm
Nevermind, Bills signed Bowser
May 10th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
No thanks! Zeke is also a fumbling machine.
May 10th, 2023 at 12:54 pm
He’s little more than a short yardage and goal line back now. Nope.
May 10th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
Doubtful unless White goes down. If RB was a priority, we would have drafted one with more upside, less wear/tear and much cheaper.
May 10th, 2023 at 2:19 pm
Elliott is washed up and this team is going nowhere, I don’t get why you’d want him at this point. I’d rather see that UDFA kid Ronnie Brown with the ball.
May 11th, 2023 at 6:24 am
Didn’t they already try the high paid injured veteran route the last 3 years?