Ezekiel Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys. Would he make sense as a potential target for the Denver Broncos?
The team added Samaje Perine in free agency, but the Broncos' running back room is well below average. There are still some quality free agents out there at the position for them to target, and the team most definitely will add someone who can carry the load for a bit.
Could Ezekiel Elliott make sense for the Denver Broncos? To me, I think there is room for him on the roster. He is a lot like Perine in that he's good in pass protection, is a very tough runner, and can catch passes out of the backfield.
The difference, obviously, is that one is Ezekiel Elliott and the other is Samaje Perine. Let's be real, even though Zeke has clearly lost a step, I'm not sure Perine is in the same stratosphere as Elliott.
Elliott was drafted back in 2016 and has rushed for 8,262 yards in seven seasons in the NFL. he's got four 1,000-yard campaigns and has rushed for at least 875 yards in every season of his career. He did find the endzone 12 times this year and 24 times over the last two seasons.
His yards per carry have fallen and in every year since 2018, his rushing attempts have fallen as well. I do think Elliott could fit in just fine with the Broncos as he would not be put in a position to have to carry the bulk of the load, and at this point in his career, that's what will keep him in the NFL.
He won't be an every-down back, but he's still got a bit of burst left and has caught 305 passes during his career. His blocking and perhaps short-yardage situations would present a positive for Denver.
Pairing Elliott and Perine with a rookie draft pick could be a competent solution until Javonte Williams returns to the lineup.