It's clear Ezekiel Elliott is affecting the Dallas Cowboys' overall draft plan

The Dallas Cowboys need a running back, but they haven't taken one in any of the first three rounds of the NFL Draft.

So what gives?

According to owner/general manager Jerry Jones, the Cowboys are still figuring out exactly what a reunion with former first-round pick, Ezekiel Elliott, looks like and how it impacts the position group.

"First of all, the draft's not over and that's a thought," Jones told reporters when asked about the plan for the position. "And it was a long time before a running back was taken in today's draft. But we also are keenly interested in seeing what the future might look like with Zeke."

Elliott's only season outside of Dallas came in 2023, when he joined the New England Patriots. It was easily the worst year of his career, numbers-wise, as he registered career-lows in rushing yards (642), rushing touchdowns (3), yards per carry (3.5), rushing yards per game (37.8) and success rate (45.1%).

Yet, Jones believes Elliott is still good enough to play in Dallas.

"I know this, I saw as recent as the end of the year, I saw Zeke play," said Jones. "And I will tell you he's good enough to be a starter...

"We have it in our power to feel good about the running back room. Period. Now are we through with the running back room? I'm not going to answer that. Not trying to be coy. I just don't need to answer that. But Zeke's good enough to be in the running back room and he's good enough to play for the Cowboys. I'd say that."

It's an interesting sentiment, as Elliott started the final five games of the 2023 season, yet never ran for more than 68-yards in a single game. That was despite averaging 14.6 carries per game. He did manage to score three total touchdowns during that span, though, with two coming through the air. Maybe that's the production Jones was referring to, ultimately.

Either way, the Cowboys need to do something with the running back room, as the current group has a combined 1,982 offensive snaps under its belt - and 1,583 of those belong directly to Royce Freeman. In contrast, Elliott has played 5,824 offensive snaps over the course of his career.

As with all things Cowboys - this ride will be an interesting one and not even Jones knows how it ends.