Ezekiel Elliott won't be running off to federal court the week of the season opener the way he did last year Michael Irvin Jersey , when the star running back of the Dallas Cowboys was fighting the NFL's six-game suspension over domestic violence allegations.

While the 2016 NFL rushing leader knew he would suit up for the first game last year as the case played out in court, he had no idea beyond that. This time, there's no question about Elliott's availability after Sunday's trip to Carolina.

"I would never say last year I wasn't engaged with the game," he said Wednesday. "It is a lot more stress free, though. I would say that."

Elliott triggered a handful of questions about his motivation after offering the "chip on my shoulder" cliche. One question boiled down to this: Was he trying to prove he's the best back in the NFL?

"That's exactly it," said Elliott, who led the league in yards rushing per game last season while finally serving the suspension starting at the halfway point. "I want to prove I'm the best back in the game. That's what my focus this offseason was."

Elliott didn't play a snap in the preseason for the first time in his three years as a pro. He says he's ready anyway. Right guard Zack Martin says all anyone needed to do was watch Elliott in training camp in California.

"Something just feels different," Martin said. "I think he's ready for a big year."

The Cowboys are counting on it. Quarterback Dak Prescott, Elliott's fellow rookie standout two years ago, has a revamped group of receivers after the departures of 15-year tight end Jason Witten and franchise touchdown receptions leader Dez Bryant.

Dallas isn't making any secret over feeding off the player known for his "feed me" gesture every time he gets a first down. It doesn't seem to matter to the Cowboys 鈥?or Elliott 鈥?how many defenders will be close to the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.

"I mean http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/montravius-adams-jersey , we've faced eight, nine, 10-man fronts every week since I got here," Elliott said. "I don't know how many more guys they can throw in the box. Yeah, there's going to be more focus, I believe, on me. I just don't understand how you could say we're going to throw more guys in the box. There's only 11 guys on the field."

Elliott's legal drama played out almost week to week last season. During the week before his final game before the suspension, he was forced to be away from the team for several days until getting a legal reprieve two days before the Cowboys beat Kansas City.

"There was a lot of stuff going around in his life that he had to deal with," coach Jason Garrett said. "For the most part when he was here he was pretty locked in and did what he needed to do. Now that it's behind him, you just see him that much more focused http://www.washingtonredskinsteamonline.com/ryan-anderson-jersey , that much more ready to go."

Even with the suspension, Elliott has the most yards rushing through two seasons (2,614) for a franchise that once featured all-time NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smith and another Hall of Famer in Tony Dorsett.

There are questions about the offensive line with center Travis Frederick battling a condition that has sidelined him indefinitely, and a rookie starter at left guard in second-round pick Connor Williams.

All the more reason for Elliott to apply the focus he tried to carry throughout the offseason.

"How that carries it over to the field, how that helps the field, is when I get out there, I've taken all the mental reps I need to," Elliott said. "I've taken all the physical reps I need to. Mentally, I know my assignment, I know my landmarks Dustin Hopkins Jersey , I know my pace. It's like when I get in the game, I've been there before."

And this year, he plans on being there the whole time.

"I'm young," Elliott said. "Got fresh legs. There's no pacing. Every week in the NFL matters. If they want to give it to me 30, 35 times a game, I'll take that."

Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis thought he was ready to approach the end of his career. But now that the season is four games shorter than it was going to be, he has reconsidered.

Davis said at the end of Panthers minicamp Thursday that he was no longer committed to retiring after the season.

鈥淚鈥檓 very open to the possibility of playing next season,鈥?Davis said.

Upon a follow-up question, he continued: “You haven鈥檛 been listening. I鈥檓 very open.”

In April, the 35-year-old Davis was suspended the first four games of the regular season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances. He insisted on Thursday that he never “knowingly” took anything illegal Kenny Clark Jersey , and that the supplements he was using were the same ones he’s used the last eight years. He said because so much time passed between his positive test and the notification, there was no way to test the product.

He also declined to identify the product, because he said a friend owns the company that provided it.

In January, Davis said he planned on this being his聽final season,聽wrapping up after 14 years. His contract is up after this season, so they’d have to extend him if he wanted that to happen. He said he can still run with the young players the Panthers are bringing in, so he feels good about his ability to play at a high level.

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