Dallas Cowboy DE Greg Ellis thinks he is gone-DC.com

IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys' season ended abruptly Sunday night with a 20-10 loss to the St. Louis Rams.Greg Ellis believes his eight-year stay in Dallas might be over, too.Ellis wasn't sure he could be productive as a 3-4 defensive end when Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells decided to change schemes this past off-season. At 280 pounds, the Cowboys' former first-round pick didn't have ideal size to take on stronger, heavier offensive tackles from an inside position.But despite finishing the season tied with rookie linebacker DeMarcus Ware for the team lead in sacks (8), the 30-year-old Ellis doesn't think he fits in the Cowboys' long-term plans any longer."No anger on my behalf and I don't think there's none on Bill's," Ellis said. "I just think obviously he just feels that I don't fit into the scheme the way he wants me to fit, or I'm not that guy he's looking for."Ellis' snaps have appeared to decrease down the stretch. His 121-game streak as a starter ended Dec. 4 against the Giants, when he was replaced in the lineup by rookie Chris Canty.Ellis didn't start the next two games against Kansas City and Washington, but he tied his season high with six tackles in last Saturday's 24-20 win over Carolina. He started against the Rams and recorded one tackle, again playing mostly on the team's nickel defense.In the off-season, Parcells placed a high priority on acquiring defensive players who either had experience or were physically suited for the 3-4 system. The Cowboys drafted Canty, who played the 3-4 in college, and spent a first-round pick on defensive end Marcus Spears.Parcells planned to rotate his linemen throughout the game with the hopes of keeping veteran players like La'Roi Glover and Ellis fresher in the fourth quarter."When you're playing 15 or 20 plays a game, then I would probably say you're not the piece they're looking for," Ellis said.Ellis signed a contract extension in 2003. But in the locker room after Sunday's deflating loss, he didn't sound like he expected to finish out the remaining three years on his deal. He also is aware of being owed a roster bonus in March worth $500,000, and is leery of the Cowboys paying that some for a rotation player."It's not written in stone, but like I said, I think that's the way it's going to be," Ellis said."I've been telling people since I noticed it that, 'Let's don't talk about that. Let's focus on the season.' I think I gave my best effort to do that and give all I can give to this football team. The season is over, so now obviously that's an issue that is going to come up in Jerry (Jones) and Bill's mind, and in my mind."