The Dallas Cowboys signed veteran running back Ronnie Hillman on Thursday, which led to some speculation that they may be bracing for an Ezekiel Elliott suspension to start the season. Not so, says head coach Jason Garrett.
According to Garrett, the Cowboys added Hillman to their roster because undrafted free agent running back Jahad Thomas is battling a hamstring injury.
“It really has everything to do with Jahad [Thomas’] situation,” Garrett said Thursday, via Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “Jahad, we thought he was going to be healthy and ready to go for training camp, and he was one day into it [and unable to stay healthy], and so we had to get another running back in here.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on SiriusXM NFL Radio Thursday that he believes a decision from the NFL regarding Elliott’s case is “imminent.” Based on the opinion Jones recently shared about the NFL’s findings, he seems confident the star running back will not be suspended.
If Elliott does get suspended to start the season, Darren McFadden will likely handle the majority of the work. The 29-year-old has not been practicing every day, but that is just because of his veteran status. The Cowboys also still have Alfred Morris, so Hillman may not make the team regardless of what happens with Elliott.
