Ezekiel Elliott
Stephen Jones would like to draft a backup running back for Ezekiel Elliott. (Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports)

The Dallas Cowboys drafted Ezekiel Elliott with the 4th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Say whatever you want about the value of the running back position. It’s hard to criticize anything regarding the Ezekiel Elliott pick. The Cowboys handled it the right way. Year after year they drafted offensive lineman to create a dominant blocking unit before Elliott ever sniffed the field. Dallas had a plan. However, now they might have to adjust that plan.

Fair or unfair, Dallas has been running Zeke into the ground. During his first 3 years in the NFL, Zeke has averaged 21.7 carries per game in the regular season. Only Le’Veon Bell has averaged more carries since that time and he even essentially took the year off in 2018. Is it time to draft a backup running back to take some wear and tear off the league’s best running back? Stephen Jones thinks so.

“At the end of the day you worry about what you do if Zeke’s not 100 percent,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday of adding a backup, via the Dallas Morning News. “You want to get him as many touches as you can, but it’s also a long season. We’re obviously going to be looking, whether we get it done in the draft or whether we get it done in free agency.”

“I just think it depends on the player,” Jones said. “If that’s a first round-caliber player in our mind, then you have to take a look. … It’s certainly a rich pick. You hope you’re drafting there in the second round a plug-in starter. … We all know if Zeke’s healthy there’s not going to be a whole lot of touches going to that player. At the same time, you never know when you’re going to need a player like that if Zeke were to miss a game.”

Dallas Cowboys 2019 NFL Draft War Room

When Zeke eats first downs, the Cowboys win. It is just the way it has been. Remember that 6 game suspension in 2017? It tanked the Cowboys season. Having a backup is not a bad idea and right now that man is Darius Jackson who has 6 career carries. NOT IDEAL… Sometime in the middle rounds look for Dallas to take another runner.