Former Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott will be signed to the Chargers’ practice squad, according to a person with knowledge of the deal who is not authorized to speak publicly.
Elliott played 15 games for the Cowboys this season, rushing for 226 yards and three touchdowns before requesting a release. With Rico Dowdle putting together his first 1,000-yard rushing season and the Cowboys out of the playoffs, the team that drafted the former Ohio State star fourth overall in 2016 granted the request and Elliott cleared waivers last week.
Pending a physical, the Chargers (11-6) expect to sign the 29-year-old to their practice squad on Tuesday ahead of the team’s wild-card playoff game in Houston on Saturday at 1:30 PM PST. The Chargers are playing to win their first postseason game since 2018.
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If Elliott is removed from the practice squad in time for the game, he could provide valuable insurance in the backfield, where he has been without backup Gus Edwards the past two games. While Edwards is dealing with an ankle injury, top rusher JK Dobbins is just returning from a knee injury that kept him out for four games.
Dobbins, who began his record-setting career at Ohio State two seasons after Elliott graduated, was on pace to become the Chargers’ first 1,000-yard rusher since 2017 before suffering a knee injury on Nov. 25 against the Baltimore Ravens. team with 905 yards rushing and nine touchdowns.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s vision for a physical running game that would complement star quarterback Justin Herbert yielded inconsistent results in the first year of a new scheme as the Chargers struggled with injuries to both of their most experienced runners. The Chargers rank 17th in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,882, but only 20th in yards per carry, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt.
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Under general manager Joe Hortiz, the Chargers have been aggressive with additions to their roster. Safeties Tony Jefferson, Kendall Williamson and Eddie Jackson, cornerback Eli Apple and receiver Jalen Reagor have played meaningful snaps after starting on the practice squad. A veteran with a decade of experience, Jefferson worked his way into a starting role to help manage a series of injuries in the secondary.
After rushing for over 1,000 yards in four of his first six seasons with the Cowboys, the team released Elliott after the 2022 season, which ended with a divisional round loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Elliott signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots as a complementary running back to starter Rhamondre Stevenson. He returned to the Cowboys this offseason on a one-year deal but hasn’t averaged more than 3.8 yards per carry since 2021.
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
