Browns insider pessimistic on Ezekiel Elliott with ex-Cowboys star still unsigned - "Poor runner"

Ezekiel Elliott is still looking for a team to take a chance on him as the 2023 offseason reaches its high-noon mark. The NFL Draft and free agency blitzes are now over and the NFL's one-time running back leader is now waiting for an opportunity.

Some have floated the Cleveland Browns as a possibility, but one insider strongly rejected the idea. In an article published on Browns Wire, NFL insider Cory Kinnan labelled him as a "poor" and "inefficient" runner. Here's how he put it:

"The place to start the conversation with Elliott is that he is a poor runner of the football. Which is the predominant role of a running back... He is an inefficient runner, has declined steadily over the past three seasons, struggles to scratch and claw for four yards per carry, and contributes even less in the passing game."

Where will ex-Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott land?

Ezekiel Elliott at NFC Wild Card Playoffs - Dallas Cowboys v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

So, scratch off the Cleveland Browns as a potential landing spot for Ezekiel Elliott, it seems. One place still potentially on the cards for the running back is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to Buccaneers insider Rick Stroud, via The Morning Shift on 92.9 The Game and Audacy, there is a strong connection between the team and the running back.

Put simply, the team's running back coach is also a former Cowboys running back coach, who could serve as a line of communication. As Tom Brady fans know, the running attack for the team wasn't exactly up to snuff in 2022, and could use another face in the backfield.

As it stands, the team no longer has Leonard Fournette and instead are set to trot out a mix of Rachaad White, Chase Edmonds, and Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Edmonds rushed for 120 yards last season, leaving many to believe that the ex-Cowboys running back could slide in there quite cleanly.

Of course, it will be up to his next team to decide if they want to pull the trigger. With still multiple months left until the NFL season goes full speed ahead, the wait could be a while.