IRVING, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants to win now. Coach Jason Garrett needs to win now.
And that's why the Cowboys made Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott the fourth pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft.
He’s the only player in this draft that gives them an opportunity to get to the Super Bowl in the next two years, which is about as long as you can reasonably expect 36-year-old quarterback Tony Romo’s body to last.
We're talking about a franchise that has won two playoff games since 1996 and hasn't played in the NFC championship game since the 1995 season. Only Detroit and Washington have longer streaks in the NFC.
It's a joke, considering this franchise’s illustrious history.
Jones wants badly to win another Super Bowl to validate himself as a general manager. Garrett, who's had one winning season in six years as the Cowboys head coach, isn't getting a lifetime pass for mediocrity.
Jones didn't hold Garrett accountable for last season's 4-12 record and last-place finish because Romo missed 12 games after breaking his collarbone twice, and receiver Dez Bryant spent much of the season hobbled after breaking his foot early in the season.
Garrett’s can’t expect getting excused for consecutive poor seasons.
Elliott gives the Cowboys an opportunity to re-create the success they had in 2014 when DeMarco Murray rushed for a single-season franchise record of 1,845 yards and led the Cowboys to a 12-4 record and NFC East title. Murray signed with Philadelphia for $42 million over six seasons following that season because Dallas refused to guarantee more than $12 million.
Darren McFadden gained 1,089 yards in 10 starts last year, but he's no longer the kind of dynamic runner defenses fear. Neither is Alfred Morris, who Dallas signed earlier this month.
Elliott is a difference-maker, who finished his career with consecutive season of more than 1,800 yards while scoring 41 touchdowns. He’s an excellent receiver and a physical blocker.
“He’s the biggest impact player in the draft,” Jones said. “If we’re drafting this high, that’s who we should take.”
On the Cowboys’ draft board, which is all that matters, Elliott was their top-rated player. Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey was second. While the Cowboys didn’t settle on Elliott until about 10 days ago, Jones said Garrett has been leaning toward Elliott for months because he’s a cornerstone player.
“A great character guy, personal character and football character,” Garrett said. “He’s a guy who loves to play football, a great team guy, and he’s able to handle a significant role on the football team and we felt like Zeke was one of those guys.”
Elliott will help Romo because the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback is at his best when he throws no more than 30 passes per game. He's 37-11 as a starter when that happens and 41-38 when it doesn’t.
Elliott gives the Cowboys an opportunity to control games by running the ball, forcing defenses to play eight-man fronts. Then Romo can attack with play-action passes like he did in 2014, when he averaged a league-leading 8.5 yards per attempt.
“The Cowboys have the best offensive line in the league, and that’s a running back’s dream,” Elliott said. “After what I’ve seen on film, they pop those holes open, and the running back gets to that second level so fast and just do what running backs do best, so I’m excited.”
He'll help the much-maligned Cowboys' defense by keeping it off the field. The Cowboys allowed 348.1 yards and 23.4 points per game, which is middle-of-the-pack, but they forced only 11 turnovers, the league’s lowest total.
Elliott will help the defense because the Cowboys' offense should be good enough to grab early leads and make opposing offenses one-dimensional like they often did in 2014.
Yes, the NFL has evolved into a league where most teams want to use a committee approach. Taking a runner with the fourth pick in the draft wouldn't make sense for them.
But Elliott makes perfect sense in Dallas because of the style the Cowboys want to play. Besides, one or two defensive players in this particular draft wasn't going to transform the Cowboys' defense into a championship unit.
Elliott can help now. And that's all that matters when a great franchise has been stuck in the abyss for parts of three decades.