Skip Bayless urges Cowboys to bring back Ezekiel Elliott in Udonis Haslem-esque role

Ezekiel Elliott has been officially a free agent since the first of the month, but rumors are already whispering of a return for the running back. In response to the idea, NFL analyst Skip Bayless revealed the only way such a reunion would make sense.

Here's how Bayless put it on Undisputed:

"Okay, I'm going to make one case and one case only. We've been talking a lot about the Miami Heat and Heat culture. Yeah, there's one player on the Heat bench who never gets in the game. His name is Udonis Haslem. He's actually an assistant coach slash player because he is the voice in the locker room. He is often the voice in the sideline huddle." [2:45 onwards]

He continued, applying Udonis Haslem's position to the Cowboys:

"He's the gatekeeper. Can Zeke be the gatekeeper for the 2023 Dallas Cowboys? Can he be the veteran locker room voice who rarely gets in the game for any reason? ... That's the only way I can see Zeke being a part of the team."

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How little would Ezekiel Elliott play in 2023 in the Haslem role?

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

At first glance, it might seem to be easy to hide one of 53 players for an entire game. However, over the course of a season, odds are high that there would be at least a few sightings of him on the field.

Taking Haslem as an example, the Heat "gatekeeper" played in seven games this season, averaging 3.9 points per game and 34.5 per cent from the field.

His 3-point percentage was 33.3 per cent and averaged 10 minutes per contest. Considering the season is 82 games long, he still played in about 10 per cent of the games this year. Meaning, there's a decent chance that Elliott could see up to two games of action in 2023 if Haslem's formula were to be followed to a tee.

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Ezekiel Elliott 2022 stats left Cowboys no choice

Ezekiel Elliott at Dallas Cowboys v Jacksonville Jaguars

The running back gained 876 yards and 12 touchdowns in what could be his final season with the Cowboys, averaging 3.8 yards per attempt. At first sight, the figures appear to be adequate. However, the running back made almost half of what he did in his rookie season in 2016. That season, he averaged 5.1 yards per rush, gained 1,631 yards, and scored 15 touchdowns.

The running back is done with the Cowboys amid a deflating statline. With seemingly no worthwhile offers on the table, dark days might be ahead for the former superstar running back. Will he adapt or has he concluded the working stage of his life?