There’s a reason why Ezekiel Elliott is still on the outside looking in as a free agent with less than a week to go before teams report to training camp. Gone are the days where the former fourth-overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft terrorized defenses with his unique combination of physicality, burst, and receiving chops as a true three-down back. Elliott’s proverbial cliff had been on the horizon for a few years, and it finally caught up with the two-time All-Pro running back in 2022.
Although Elliott can no longer lead an NFL backfield with 2,300 career touches on his tires, the soon-to-be 28-year-old can still help a certain type of offense in 2023 — and in a big way. Even though Elliott has lost a considerable step (or two) as a runner, he’s still in the elite class of running backs when it comes to pass protection. Out of 40 NFL running backs that played 40-plus pass blocking snaps last season, Elliott allowed the second-fewest pressures with two. Elliott’s 3.8% pressure rate allowed was fifth-best out of all qualifying running backs. For context, Dalvin Cook allowed a 9.8% pressure rate, while also surrendering the most pressures out of all running backs in the league last season with 13.
And for an offense that plans to throw the ball at an extremely high level, having Elliott in a strictly complementary role with an emphasis on protections for passing downs makes a lot of sense. Enter the Minnesota Vikings.
Last season, only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers threw the ball more than Minnesota’s 672 attempts. And after releasing Cook, Kevin O’Connell‘s offense sure as heck won’t be deviating from this script in Year 2. Although their tackle tandem of Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill is one of the best the league has to offer, the Vikings would certainly welcome all the help they can get with keeping Kirk Cousins upright this season — particularly with the constant pressure Cousins faces by way of the interior, courtesy of Ezra Cleveland, Garrett Bradbury, and Ed Ingram.
In 2022, there were 17 NFL quarterbacks who recorded 500-plus dropbacks. Of those 17, Cousins’ 36.4% of dropbacks that resulted in pressure was third-highest — trailing only Daniel Jones (42.0%) and Davis Mills (40.3%). It should go without saying, but that’s a serious problem when your entire offense is predicated on the moving the ball effectively through the air.
It needs to be mentioned that Alexander Mattison showed last season that he’s capable of taking on more responsibilities as a protector on passing downs. The former Boise State running back allowed just three pressures on 41 pass-blocking snaps. But aside from Mattison, who can the Vikings rely upon in their running back room when the offense is facing third-and-long? One of the more recurring struggles that young running backs — such as Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride — face in the NFL is their ability (or lack thereof) to consistently hold up in protection.
These first- or second-year running backs were some of the worst pass protectors in the league last season:
- Michael Carter: 11 pressures on 55 pass blocking snaps (20.0% pressure rate allowed)
- Travis Etienne: 10 pressures on 73 pass blocking snaps (13.7% pressure rate allowed)
- Kenneth Walker: 9 pressures on 55 pass blocking snaps (16.4% pressure rate allowed)
- Rachaad White: 8 pressures on 45 pass blocking snaps (17.8% pressure rate allowed)
Regardless of whether Mattison misses time this season, the Vikings are playing with fire by asking Chandler and McBride to be anything but a serious liability when it comes to protecting the quarterback on passing downs as complementary backs.
It’s extremely difficult to have longevity once an NFL running back reaches their late 20s and early 30s. But becoming a running back teams can rely upon to protect the quarterback is the easiest way for these types of players to not only stay in the league, but to help impact winning.
A recent example of this is what the Kansas City Chiefs have done with Jerick McKinnon. Although McKinnon’s first two years with the Chiefs required him to be the complementary back behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire in 2021 and Isiah Pacheco in 2022, he’s turned into Andy Reid‘s primary running back on passing downs. Even in a reserve role for Kansas City’s offense, McKinnon recorded 506 snaps on passing downs last season, the sixth-highest out of all NFL running backs. And while McKinnon is certainly capable as a receiver out of the backfield, make no mistake about it, he’s on the field for passing situations because of his ability to protect Patrick Mahomes.
Ezekiel Elliott won’t be required to shoulder the load for any team that eventually signs him. But he can still play a pivotal role for pass-happy offenses with his ability to not only identify pressure both pre- and post-snap, but also to finish plays as a pass protector. Not to mention that Elliott still has reliable hands out of the backfield with over 300 receptions and a 75.9% catch rate throughout his career.
Elliott isn’t for everybody in 2023, and understandably so after becoming a shell of himself as a runner. But he’s still an invaluable asset for certain offenses like the Minnesota Vikings (and Cincinnati Bengals) that will ultimately win football games largely due to their effectiveness by slinging the pill around the yard. And keeping their respective quarterbacks off the ground.
