Ezekiel Elliott is going to need more than three wishes.
Elliott’s “wish list” of teams he would like to play for leaked online Thursday after he was cut by the Cowboys, but the interest doesn’t seem to be mutual.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted a report Thursday that Elliott, 27, had “narrowed his options about where to play” to the Bengals, Eagles, and Jets – but so far, it appears none of those teams have actually offered him a contract.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor was asked by local ABC affiliate WCPO-TV about the report and implied that Schefter’s tweet was the first he heard of it at all.
“There’s a lot of great players that are available right now,” Taylor said with a smile. “We like our team as where it’s at right now. But it’s always funny when things get thrown around. Sometimes, it’s the first you hear of it. But that’s just the way life works.”
Cincinnati lost running back Samaje Perine to the Denver Broncos in free agency, and Joe Mixon’s future is up in the air with rumors of a release lingering.
Bengals GM Duke Tobin recently said “I don’t know” when asked if Mixon would be on the team in 2023.
Still, if Taylor’s comments are accurate, the team hadn’t considered signing Elliott or offered him a contract at all.
The Eagles are not exactly interested, either.
NBC Philadelphia reported on Thursday that the “Eagles have not engaged in conversations” with the former division rival running back, and they “are happy with the running backs they have now.”
“It seems the Eagles, Bengals, Jets are a wish list for Ezekiel Elliott and where he would like to play,” the outlet reported.
Philadelphia signed former Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny to a one-year, $1.3 million deal when free agency opened, and still has Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott on the roster.
Which leaves the Jets.
New York brass has yet to comment on interest in Elliott and there would be salary cap challenges involved as the team continues to negotiate an Aaron Rodgers trade with the Packers.
The issues could go beyond that.
Shortly after Schefter posted the tweet, Jets star running back Breece Hall tweeted – and quickly deleted – a message to fellow rusher Michael Carter, saying: “I think we good over here @8kMike hbu?” with a yawn emoji.
So, that’s 0-for-3 of the teams that the former All-Pro wanted to play for wanting him in return.
The seven-year pro has seen his productivity fall in each of the last three years, with 2022 being the first year of his career he logged less than 1,000 scrimmage yards and averaged less than four yards per carry.
His lack of production coincided with fellow Dallas running back Tony Pollard’s breakout.
Despite Pollard suffering a gruesome ankle injury against the 49ers in the Cowboys’ divisional-round loss, the team chose to franchise tag him and release Elliott.
It seems like Elliott, who was cut loose early from the massive six-year, $90 million contract extension he signed in 2019, will have to expand his wish list.