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According to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram, Cowboys running back coach Gary Brown said Wednesday that there will be an open competition: "He's going to compete. Zeke has to earn it. I think that's the best thing for our team and for those guys going forward."
Dallas boasts plenty of backfield depth with Darren McFadden and former Washington Commanders running back Alfred Morris on the roster.
McFadden enjoyed a strong 2015 campaign, as he ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,089 rushing yards to go along with three touchdowns on the ground.
Elliott eclipsed 1,800 rushing yards in each of his final two seasons at Ohio State, however, and seemingly has the tools needed to be a superstar at the NFL level immediately.
Per Hill, however, Elliott is embracing the challenge and said that making the move from college to the NFL has been an adjustment:
It's definitely better to have the competition. It keeps you on your toes and makes sure you get your work done. The competition makes you better.
[...]
It's a lot faster pace. The game moves so much faster. Yesterday, I'm not going to lie, I was a little bit shell-shocked. But today I came out. I was a little bit more prepared and was more ready mentally so it was a little bit easier for me.
The Cowboys are just two seasons removed from winning the NFC East behind DeMarco Murray's 1,845 rushing yards.
Murray's departure coupled with quarterback Tony Romo missing most of the 2015 season led to a significant regression.
If Romo can stay healthy and Dallas can re-establish the run as an elite component behind its top-flight offensive line, then a return to the playoffs is possible.
Elliott may be the ideal candidate to make that happen, and if he does get that chance, he'll have left no doubt that he's the man for the job by beating out two players who have proved to be capable NFL starters in the past.
Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.
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