The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to making questionable off-season moves. For years on end, the franchise has been criticized for producing average rosters for a team with one of the largest fan bases in all of the sports. 

With their star QB Dak Prescott at the helm, Dallas has failed to meet the expectations that fans have had for the team. Even though the team has one of the top defenses in the league, the Cowboys have made a series of poor roster decisions over the years. The offensive problems of the team have often had roots in the offseason roster construction moves. Even with all their missteps, their latest off-season decision has taken the cake in bizarreness.

The franchise let Ezekiel Elliott go

The Dallas Cowboys made headlines after the team released three-time Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott. Fans were left wondering why the franchise let go of such a valuable player, especially given Elliott’s impressive track record. But according to Jerry Jones’ son and Cowboys executive VP and CEO Stephen Jones, the team’s decision to part ways with Elliott had nothing to do with his talent on the field. 

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In a bizarre turn of events, Jones revealed that the team refused to resign Elliott to avoid ‘offending’ the RB. “The last thing we want to do is do anything that would be insulting to a player, to a great player, like Zeke [Elliott],” said Jones. It’s worth noting that the franchise did explore multiple options to retain Elliott, including offering him a pay cut. However, it appears that the team ultimately decided that the risk of insulting Zeke was not worth it.

Jones went on to talk about the decision to drop Zeke. “When you’re talking about great players … they think a lot, not in a selfish way, but they perceive themselves as a great player… It just becomes how do you make the business work.” 

How does dropping Ezekiel Elliott help the Cowboys?

Although Cowboys fans still can’t wrap their heads around the franchise’s decision, Jones did give some stock to the team’s reasons. According to Jones, the move was mostly a bid to free up roster space to provide the team with more flexibility. With Zeke’s declining production over the years, combined with a bevy of injuries, the Cowboys had seen enough of their current roster.

The decision allows the Cowboys to free up their hands and make more moves to add important pieces to the roster. By dropping Zeke, the team saved up to $10.9 million in cap space. A roster with tight cap restrictions allows the team to look for new ways to change up the team’s outlook. With an elite defense, perhaps this will finally be the impetus that makes the Cowboys’ offensive unit great.

What do you think of the franchise’s decision to drop Zeke? Was it wise or have they incurred a huge loss by dropping such a valuable player? Let us know in the comments below.

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