OXNARD, Calif. – Ezekiel Elliott played in all 18 games last year, counting playoffs, but clearly wasn't himself.
The veteran running back managed to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth time in six seasons, but the partially-torn PCL he suffered in Week 4 against Carolina limited his effectiveness the rest of the season, though a knee brace he wore late in the year did provide some stability.
"I would say just my burst," he said. "It (the injury) definitely limited my burst. Just the stiffness, keeping it warm on the sideline, but mostly the burst."
As training camp gets underway here in Oxnard, Elliott's right knee is back to 100% after an offseason of rest.
"I'll say a lot more this offseason was just kind of focusing on the knee, focusing on the muscles around it, making sure getting them back to full strength and getting them back going," he said.
"It definitely was frustrating and definitely frustrating certain parts of the year. But it's football. I think today might be the only day everyone's going to be 100%. From here on out, everyone's going to have a couple bumps and bruises and no one's going to be 100. So just trying to do everything I can off the field to make sure I preserve my health and (be) ready for Sundays."
– Rob Phillips (7/27)
