Los Angeles Chargers Sign Running Back Ezekiel Elliott to Practice Squad

Ezekiel Elliott has joined the Los Angeles Chargers' practice squad after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, providing a veteran presence.

The Los Angeles Chargers have made a significant addition to their practice squad, signing running back Ezekiel Elliott on Tuesday. Elliott, 29, was released by the Dallas Cowboys on New Year's Eve, and the Chargers have created space for him by releasing wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. This move comes ahead of the team's Wild Card matchup against the Houston Texans on Saturday.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh expressed his enthusiasm for Elliott's arrival, emphasizing the team's welcoming culture for competitive players. “Competitors welcome at the Los Angeles Chargers,” Harbaugh said. “Great to see him. He's here and he'll start having at it.” With Elliott on board, the Chargers will look to leverage his experience and skills to bolster their roster as they head into the playoffs.

we've signed RB Ezekiel Elliott to the practice squad and released WR Laviska Shenault from the practice squad.

— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 7, 2025

Ezekiel Elliott's production has significantly declined this season, as evident from his modest statistics with the Dallas Cowboys. He accumulated only 226 yards and three touchdowns on 74 attempts, indicating that the running back is indeed past his prime. Notably, Elliott has not surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground since the 2021 season.

Chargers signing RB Ezekiel Elliott to practice squad. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/4DfMeA6mQv

— NFL (@NFL) January 7, 2025

Despite his diminished performance, Elliott's addition to the Los Angeles Chargers could provide valuable depth to a team struggling with injuries at the running back position. Both J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards have been sidelined, making Elliott a potentially useful asset. This move is reminiscent of the Baltimore Ravens' decision to sign Dalvin Cook last season for similar depth reasons, although Cook did not see any game action. Given the Chargers' backfield injury woes, it is likely that Elliott will have a better chance of contributing on the field.