Jerry Jones: Zeke's role won't change despite Pollard's breakout game

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Sunday that running back Ezekiel Elliott's role in the offense won't change when he returns from the knee injury that sidelined him against the Chicago Bears.

"There's no argument. Zeke's ability to punish, Zeke's ability to deliver it … what he does for us in pass protection, and frankly Zeke's ability to make big plays are there," Jones said after his team's 49-29 victory, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.

"We're going to go as Zeke goes."

Without Elliott, Tony Pollard started against Chicago and ran wild. He accumulated 131 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries in the win. He also added one catch for 16 yards.

Pollard now has 506 rushing yards in eight games and has done so on an impressive 6.24 yards per carry. He also has five rushing touchdowns. Elliott, meanwhile, has 443 yards and four touchdowns in seven starts, averaging 4.1 yards per carry.

Elliott still has four years remaining on the six-year, $90-million extension that he signed in 2019. If the Cowboys trade or cut Elliott next year, they'll sustain a dead cap hit of $11.86 million and free up $10.9 million in 2023 cap space, according to Spotrac.

Pollard, 25, is scheduled to become a free agent in 2023.