Jerry Jones says Cowboys are interested in a reunion with Ezekiel Elliott and could pick Texas’ Jonathon Brooks

Owner Jerry Jones said the door is open for a possible return of running back Ezekiel Elliott to the Dallas Cowboys.

Whether the team takes a running back second or third round of the 2024 NFL Draft will have no impact on what the team does with Elliott, Jones said on Thursday.

Elliott is a two-time NFL rushing champion who picked in the first round by the Cowboys in 2016. He was released following the 2022 because of his high salary and declining play.

Elliott and his agent Rocky Arceneaux had in-depth conversations with the Jones and the Cowboys front office on Wednesday, first at the Cowboys Club and then at Dee Lincoln’s restaurant across from the Star where they gathered for dinner.

“We spent a lot of time with Zeke,’’ Jones said.

Elliott played last season with New England Patriots, rushing for 642 yards on 184 carries, for a career-low average of 3.5 yards per carry in a back-up role.

Jones said he thought he played real well in the latter part of the season.

Nothing is guaranteed because Elliott has other possible suitors.

But the interest from the Cowboys is real.

“I’m talking about of a sensitive thing here,’ Jones said. “It’s competitive ... It is real Zeke is gonna play next year. I think it’s very real he’s going to play. So I don’t want to go too far here. Because it just competition.”

Jones said that Elliott is counting $6 million in dead money against the team’s 2024 salary is a non factor.

“Not even a consideration,’’ Jones said. “He’s earned that $6 million. We’ve already spent it. You have to pay that whether he’s here or not.

“It won’t affect one thing with how he would help our team this year.’’

The Cowboys need to supplement a running back room that lost starter Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

The current group consists of Rico Dowdle, Malik Davis, Deuce Vaughn, Snoop Connor and free-agent signee Royce Freeman.

The Cowboys will most likely take a running back in the second or third round of the draft on Friday.

And Jones spoke highly of Texas running back Jonathon Brooks, who had his 2023 season cut short because a torn ACL. He is expected to be cleared to play by the start of training camp and is projected to go in the second round.

The Cowboys met with Brooks at the NFL Scouting Combine and brought him to the team’s headquarters for a pre-draft visit.

“In 30 years, I thought it was the best interview I’ve ever had with a player,” Jones said. of Brooks. “He’s outstanding. We got him high, high, high (on our board). He’s a good player.”