While the Dallas Cowboys will head into 2021 with a chance of making it through to the postseason, there are obvious questions over the team's performance at this stage of the campaign. Those questions are starting to focus on players within the current roster and one man, in particular, is right in the center of it.
It was recently reported that Ezekiel Elliott would sit out week 15 due to injury and, at the same time, the running back's stats came under the spotlight. Elliott will battle back and play his part in the Cowboys' campaign but will he still be at AT&T Stadium in 2021?
Jets Trade Prospect?
With Elliott facing that spell in the physio's room, rumors started to build regarding his future with the Dallas Cowboys. As he prepared to sit out game 15, a section of the media started to talk up a possible trade to the New York Jets. Any potential move would certainly seem to be of benefit to the Jets but it's surely not as appealing to a player of Ezekiel Elliott's talent and experience.
With no wins to their name at this stage, the New York franchise is in pole position to claim the first draft pick and they should be able to rebuild their roster in the off-season. Elliott, at the age of 25 and with four years at Dallas behind him, would be an attractive and experienced pick but it would likely have to be a step backward for the player.
Cowboy's Chances
Ezekiel Elliott's future with the Dallas Cowboys is likely to depend on how Mike McCarthy's men fare in the remaining games of the regular season. A record of 5-9 from the first 14 games isn't one to be particularly proud of but it somehow leaves the Cowboys in second place in the NFC East and still in the hunt for a postseason slot.
Can they do it? The sportsbooks aren't being particularly supportive and McCarthy's men are third favorites just to close out the NFC East. At distant odds of 11/1, Dallas is behind Washington and the New York Giants and that suggests that the Giants will beat the Cowboys to second place.
The odds are provided by a range of sportsbooks via SBO.net who list the best betting sites providing a range of options with different signup deals. The Cowboys may be a long shot for the NFC East title and clearly, the next games will be crucial.
Rollercoaster Season
The Cowboys' key running back has stats that are something of a reflection of his franchise's campaign. He's within striking distance of yet another 1,000-yard rushing season but, at the same time, a number of fumbles have punctuated his own campaign and put his team under pressure.
A switch to the Jets may not be a great career move for the player but is it an attractive proposition for the Dallas Cowboys? A number of fans still have mixed feelings about Elliott's position at the start of 2019 when demands for a new contract came while his rookie deal was still in force.
With Quarterback Dak Prescott forced to wait for his contract, the pressure was on Ezekiel Elliott and it's fair to say that he delivered in 2019 with over 300 rushes, 1,357 yards, and 12 scores. Moving forward, the issue is that the running back has to keep delivering after holding out for that gargantuan deal. In 2020, his influence is debatable and it's easy to see why these rumors have persisted.
Three parties are involved but will they all benefit, and is it the right decision to move on from Elliott after five seasons with the Cowboys?
