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Cowboys news: Saturday transactions put Ezekiel Elliott’s status in question

The latest news and notes about the Dallas Cowboys before they play the Packers.

NFL: Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys roster moves could signal Elliott missing game vs. Packers - RJ Ochoa, Blogging the Boys

The Dallas Cowboys called up running back Qadree Ollison from the practice squad on Saturday. That could mean Ezekiel Elliott sits out of this week’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

Dallas is coming off of their bye week but the game before it did not feature Elliott which is a rare occurrence for Zeke in his career. Dallas has been extremely conservative with Zeke’s usage this year and is factoring in the marathon of the season into their decision-making.

If you are into reading tea leaves then you may have began to believe that Elliott won’t play against Green Bay on Saturday afternoon. Why is that exactly? The Cowboys elevated running back Qadree Ollison which gives them a fourth on the roster. They also elevated guard Dakoda Shepley.

Obviously anything is possible but it does not seem like the Cowboys would elevate Ollison just to have a fourth running back available to them. The most likely situation here seems to be that the team wants to have a third available since they plan (speaking in terms of what is likely here, not stating any sort of fact) on holding Zeke out once again. When you factor in that ESPN’s Ed Werder specifically said it will be a conservative decision it all makes even more sense.

With a win Sunday, the Cowboys can put their boogeyman to bed - Christian Cline, Inside the Star

The Green Bay Packers are reeling and enter their Week 10 game with the Cowboys on a downturn. If the Cowboys manage to win at Lambeau Field, it could be the knockout blow to a Packers team on the ropes.

The Packers are self-destructing, one might think. They have lost five straight games and Aaron Rodgers has not looked like the back-to-back NFL MVP that he has been over the last two seasons. Aaron Rodgers is going to come into this game trying to save the Packers’ season and the Cowboys cannot let that happen.

We already know this will be a homecoming for Cowboys’ head coach Mike McCarthy, and I don’t doubt for one second that he will have this team ready to play. But the Cowboys are going to have to dig deep and play some of their best football if they hope to slay Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Some people might look at this game as a trap game, where everybody expects the Cowboys to win, and they somehow lose – which is what usually happens for the Cowboys in most fans’ recent memory.

The Cowboys have the opportunity to go into Lambeau Field this Sunday and put the nail in the coffin on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers season.

A win for the Cowboys would show not just the NFC, but the entire NFL that this Cowboys team is legit and different from teams of the past. The Cowboys have too loaded of a roster to fall to this Packers team. Knocking the Packers down to 3-7 and handing them their sixth straight loss would be worth a celebration for Cowboys Nation and further support the expectations that the Cowboys are dominant this year.

Packers send promising 2nd year corner to injured reserve ahead of Sunday’s game - Evan “Tex” Western, Acme Packing Co.

When it comes to team health, the Cowboys and the Packers are two teams going in opposite directions. After a rash of injuries, the Green Bay Packers are scrambling to find able bodies for Sunday’s matchup.

In unsurprising news, the Packers placed cornerback Eric Stokes on injured reserve on Saturday. Stokes’ season is likely over after suffering significant knee and ankle injuries last week in Detroit and this move all but assures that will be the case. Interestingly, he is the only player to go to IR on Saturday, as the team elected to keep Romeo Doubs on the 53-man roster despite his high ankle sprain.

Taking Stokes’ place on the 53 is fellow cornerback Corey Ballantine, who has been promoted from the practice squad. Look for Ballantine to help out on special teams and as an emergency depth option at corner with Stokes and Shemar Jean-Charles both unavailable.

The Packers also used their two available practice squad elevations for Sunday’s game, one coming as a surprise and the other being relatively predictable. With Rashan Gary now on injured reserve, the Packers need depth on the edge and have elevated Ladarius Hamilton to help in that area.

While that move was more predictable, the elevation of kicker Ramiz Ahmed is less so. Ahmed is expected to handle kickoffs on Sunday, according to SI.com’s Bill Huber, and to serve as insurance in case veteran Mason Crosby has any issues.

Crosby was limited in practice throughout the week but did not end up with an injury status on the Friday injury report. Still, the move suggests that the team does not see him as being ready to handle a full workload this weekend.

Jerry Jones likens pursuit of Odell Beckham to Deion Sanders - Tim Daniels, Bleacher Report

The Dallas Cowboys and Odell Beckham seem to be a perfect fit now. The receiver is in need of a team and the team is in need of a wide receiver. The team owner has talked up the possibility of adding the veteran wide out and the players have spoken glowingly of Beckham.

Several Dallas players have talked about the potential of adding Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who’s nearing the end of his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in February’s Super Bowl, for the stretch run of the regular season.

QB Dak Prescott said: “Anytime you have a chance to add a talent like that and knowing Odell and knowing his resume, it’s exciting. But also understand it’s a business, and I’m sure there’s 31 other teams that would like to add him as well.”

RB Ezekiel Elliott said: “We want him. We want OBJ.”

WR CeeDee Lamb said: “That’s my boy. I’m a fan of Odell. Why wouldn’t you want to add more firepower to the offense?”

LB Micah Parsons said: “S—t we can use him. I think he’s a great player. He’ll expand this offense. He’s a guy you want on the team beside all the other critics stuff that people make up and s—t about him. He can add real value to the team and help us do what we want to do.”

Jones added:

“Odell is someone that we have all the appreciation in the world for what he is as a competitor,” Jones said. “I know the Cowboys star on that helmet, when he puts it on, could look pretty good.”

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