Before the 2019 season, the Dallas Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott to a six-year, $90 million contract extension, which turned out to be one of the worst moves in the franchise’s history. During that same season, Elliott’s career began to deteriorate. As a result, Dallas was left with an aging player who was using up a sizable portion of the pay cap.
The organization feels scarred by the Elliott contract, and they are moving in a new direction by going with a less expensive running back. In order to add some depth at the position, the Cowboys signed veteran running back Royce Freeman, who was a member of the Los Angeles Rams the previous season, to a one-year contract this past offseason.
Stephen Jones, the executive vice president of the Cowboys, recently appeared on 105.3 The Fan and gave a glowing speech about Freeman. (via Jon Machota)
He is a huge, robust man. He is also a terrific player on special teams. He will enhance and balance (Ezekiel Elliott) well. After that, we will allow Rico Dowdle and Malik Davis, two young men, square off against one another.
On the Cowboys’ depth chart, Freeman will have competition for the top spot. With so many unknowns surrounding the club at the position, the 28-year-old experienced back might achieve anything.
When he was a member of the Oregon Ducks, Freeman was one of the more captivating players in college football. With 5,621 career yards on the ground, he was the school’s all-time leading rusher when he left college.
In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Freeman in the third round, although he never quite lived up to the anticipation that surrounds him in the lead-up to the draft. After Denver waived him after his third season, he was taken off waivers by the Carolina Panthers in 2021.