Ezekiel Elliott is back with the Dallas Cowboys, but he’s yet to have a significant impact in 2024, logging just 30 carries through five games. The former Pro Bowler has since spoken to coaches about his reduced role, according to the Dallas Morning News, prompting team owner Jerry Jones to tell 105.3 The Fan on Friday that the Cowboys are actually “saving him” for the long haul.

“I can’t emphasize this enough: We’re saving him,” Jones said. “And we should be. We want him for — Rico [Dowdle] is an outstanding running back. … [but] his big problem has been what? He’s had trouble with injuries throughout his career. So it’d be madness to just rely on him for the duration of the season and into the playoffs … Zeke is there, he will be there, because we want to protect him during this particular time.”

Jones also mentioned that Dalvin Cook, the former Minnesota Vikings star who’s been on the team’s practice squad since August, will be “very material” going forward. He provided no timeline for Cook’s potential promotion, but argued Dallas will use both Cook and Elliott in tandem with Dowdle this season.

Elliott said Thursday that he’d “talked a little bit” with Cowboys staffers regarding his limited opportunities, saying he’d “kinda let it play itself out.” The former All-Pro indicated that he’d specifically prefer to be on the field more for short-yardage situations, admitting it’s “definitely a little different” staying on the sidelines.

After starting Dallas’ season-opening win over the Cleveland Browns, Elliott has taken a back seat to Dowdle in the Cowboys’ backfield, logging a combined 20 carries over the team’s last four games.

“I just focus on being a good teammate,” Elliott said. “I’ve been focusing on continuing to help lead this team and I’m not making it about me. It’s about this football team (winning) football games.”