Ezekiel Elliott - Pro Football Rumors

Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott Moving Towards Deal

September 1st, 2019 at 11:37am CST by Zachary Links

The Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott are moving toward a deal, Clarence Hill of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) also hears that serious progress has been made over the last 24 hours, though obstacles still remain.

We heard this morning that the two sides still have significant ground to cover, so it’s unclear if this is a case of actual progress in negotiations, or a case of conflicting stories.This morning’s update suggested that the two sides are simply getting back to the table after weeks of silence. Hill’s tweet, meanwhile, suggests that things are moving in a positive direction. Either way, we can say this with confidence – there’s an increased sense of urgency and optimism coming from both sides of the table.

Elliott’s guarantees appear to be the holdup at this stage. Zeke likely wants guarantees in the range of Todd Gurley‘s $45MM amount, a number that would give Dallas pause given the risk involved with RBs.

Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott Still Have Significant Ground To Cover

September 1st, 2019 at 10:42am CST by Rory Parks

The Ezekiel Elliott pendulum continues to swing back and forth. We heard yesterday that contract talks between Elliott and the Cowboys were intensifying, and the fact that Dallas elected to keep only two RBs on its 53-man roster suggests that the club is indeed expecting to have Zeke back for Week 1.

Today, however, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports that the two sides still have significant ground to cover. Moore says talks are certainly intensifying, but given that there had been no meaningful dialogue over the last few weeks, the mere fact that the parties returned to the negotiating table this weekend represents marked progress. The word “intensifying” should not necessarily be construed to mean that a deal is close.

As Moore reiterates, the primary issue in negotiations is the guaranteed money. The AAV gap between the league’s current highest-paid RBs — Todd Gurley‘s $14.3MM and Le’Veon Bell‘s $13.1MM — isn’t making player or team lie awake at night. The gulf between Gurley’s $45MM guarantee and David Johnson‘s $31.8MM guarantee is the real holdup, as the Cowboys don’t want to set the RB market in terms of guarantees given that there is already a huge gap between Gurley and the next player at his position.

It feels like an agreement may not be too far away, but there is still significant legwork to be done.

Talks Between Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott “Intensifying”

August 31st, 2019 at 11:40am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Ezekiel Elliott could be on the field for Week 1. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that talks between the Cowboys and the star running back are “intensifying.” Both sides are determined to finalize a new deal this weekend.

While there have been plenty of recent reports regarding negotiations between both sides, it sounded like the two sides hadn’t made any progress in recent weeks. We heard earlier this week that both camps were standing strong on their initial offers; the Cowboys had offered a contract that was assumed to be around $14MM, while Elliott was seeking a deal that would pay him $15MM per season (thus setting the benchmark at the position).

While the organization had reportedly made an Elliott extension a priority, owner Jerry Jones said yesterday that he was operating as if their star running back wouldn’t be on the field. Regardless, today’s report is the most clarity we’ve received in some time, and it’s good news for Dallas that both sides are focused on completing a deal.

While team’s are understandably wary of handing out big money to running backs, Elliott has proved that he deserves to be one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. The former fourth-overall pick showed off his pass-catching prowess in 2018, hauling in a career-high 77 receptions for 567 yards and three scores. He was also prolific in the running game, compiling 1,434 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Perhaps most importantly, Elliott managed to play in 15 games after being limit to only 10 in 2017.

Had Zeke ended up sitting out part of the regular season, the Cowboys were ready to roll with rookie running back Tony Pollard and veteran Alfred Morris. Assuming an extension gets done, the organization now has a formidable trio of backs to rely on from the start of the season.

Latest On Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott

August 30th, 2019 at 6:39pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The regular season is barely a week away, and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott remains away from the team. Despite making an Elliott extension the top priority, there has been little progress between the two sides.

Owner Jerry Jones has been digging in his heels, and his latest comments are sure to cause panic among the fanbase. “I’m operating as though right now he’s going to miss regular season games. My entire expectation for what we’re putting together as a team right now would anticipate with him holding out … that he’s going to miss games. I just accept that,” Jones said, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic (Twitter link).

While Jones saying publicly that he’s expecting Elliott to miss regular season games is obviously concerning, Jones might be taking a different stance in private. Jones is still actively trying to get a deal done “behind the scenes” before Week 1, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Rapoport writes that Jones has still been negotiating with Elliott’s agent, but that as of right now they still haven’t offered more than what Todd Gurley got from the Rams.

Leapfrogging Gurley and becoming the highest-paid running back in the league seems to be the priority for Elliott’s team, and neither side has been willing to budge. At a recent banquet Jones seemed to indicate Elliott would be back for Week 1, and it’s unclear what caused his recent change in tone. The clock is ticking, but things can come together quickly and there’s still plenty of time left.

Latest On Ezekiel Elliott

August 29th, 2019 at 8:04pm CST by Ben Levine

While it sounds like talks between the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott‘s camp have stalled, there’s still optimism that a deal will get done before the regular season opener. Appearing at a recent banquet, owner Jerry Jones told the crowd that their star running back will be on the field for Week 1.

“We’re missing one, but we’ll have him on the field,” Jones said (via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News on Twitter). “I’m not joking.”

Meanwhile, executive vice president Stephen Jones told ESPN’s Todd Archer that he’s hopeful a deal will get done over the next week (Twitter link). However, Jones did acknowledge that things have been quiet recently, which is something we also heard late last week.

The Cowboys have apparently made an Elliott deal a priority. Both quarterback Dak Prescott and wideout Amari Cooper are also in line for new deals, but both players seem receptive to playing into a contract year.

Let’s check out some more notes out of Dallas…

Jay Glazer of The Athletic passes along more optimism from the organization. The reporter notes that the Cowboys have “contended all along that they believe he will be there for Week One against the Giants.” Glazer expects the two sides to agree to a deal that will make Elliott the highest-paid running back in the league.
Both sides seem to be holding strong to their initial offers, tweets Clarence Hill Jr. of the Dallas Star-Telegram. Elliott’s side made an initial offer to the organization that was deemed too high, and the organization countered with a lower proposal. Hill implies that neither side has come back to the table with a revised contract offer.
Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network tweets that the Cowboys have previously skirted around negotiations with agents by dealing directly with players. The reporter cites an agent who thinks the organization may have unsuccessfully tried this strategy with their extension-worthy trio. “He said in this case the difference is [Elliott] and even Dak and Amari Cooper, they’re not buying it,” Garafolo said. “They’re actually listening to their representation. So he feels like maybe Jerry Jones is starting to get a little frustrated, because some of his old tricks aren’t working in this case.” Circumventing an agent to deal with a represented player would be a violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
CBS Sports’ Joel Corry suggests a contract structure that would seemingly satisfy both sides. Elliott would sign a six-year contract worth around $100MM, which would set the benchmark at the position for average annual salary. However, the Cowboys wouldn’t be setting the market when it comes to money that’s “fully guaranteed at signing, three year cash flow, first three new years compensation and signing bonus.” Ultimately, Corry pegs a contract that’d be worth between $99MM and $103MM over eight total years (two years remaining plus a six-year extension).

Elliott Extension Now Cowboys’ Top Priority

August 25th, 2019 at 2:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Entering the offseason with several high-profile players eligible for extensions, the Cowboys still have their big three on offense attached to rookie deals. But Amari Cooper has voiced no issue with playing into a contract year, and Jerry Jones said he has no concern about Dak Prescott doing the same.

Jones said the Cowboys only have to have Ezekiel Elliott signed before Week 1, per Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Elliott has been a holdout since the Cowboys began training camp.

While Cooper has a guaranteed fifth-year option of $13.9MM, Prescott is only set to make $2MM this season. The fourth-year quarterback obviously stands to earn a lucrative contract at some point in the near future, but signing before the season would give him a chance to avoid having to play a fourth season on a Round 4 contract. Prescott, though, has been resolute during this lengthy negotiation. He voiced opposition to a potential team-friendly deal and is believed to have declined a $30MM-AAV proposal.

Elliott has two seasons left on his deal, but the high-volume back (NFL-most 1,003 touches since 2016, getting there in just 40 games) has prioritized an extension before an age-24 season that will also stand to feature an extensive workload. There has not been any recent movement between the Cowboys and the two-time rushing champion. Two weeks before Dallas’ opener, Elliott remains in Mexico training away from the team.

Latest On Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys

August 24th, 2019 at 12:08pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned earlier this week that the Cowboys had extended a lucrative contract extension to Ezekiel Elliott, but it still doesn’t sound like either side is making much progress on talks. Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram tweets that there’s been no new movement on the extension front. Hill passes along a brief quote from Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones, who said the two sides aren’t close because there hasn’t been a lot of “activity.”

Elliott has reportedly been eyeing a contract that would be worth around $15MM per season. The Cowboys reportedly offered a contract that would have made the 24-year-old one of the two highest-paid running backs in the NFL. For reference, Todd Gurley is leading running backs with an average annual value of around $14.38MM, and Le’Veon Bell is currently at second with a $13.13MM AAV.

For what it’s worth, the running back retweeted a comment from former NFL lineman Joe Thomas, who indicated that Elliott should top Gurley’s deal:

“Throughout the course of NFL history, if you are the best player at your position (or clearly one of the best) when you re-sign a second contract with the team that drafted you, you usually beat the highest paid current contract at your position by 15 to 20%,” Thomas said.

Owner Jerry Jones recently made comments that the team is going to hold firm on their offer, which means there might be a significant monetary discrepancy if Elliott is indeed seeking $15MM per year.

While it doesn’t sound like Zeke’s holdout will be ending anytime soon, Jones apparently isn’t concerned. During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, the executive sounded optimistic about the prospect of signing their star running back (as well as wideout Amari Cooper).

“We feel confident things will get done,” said Jones (via Twitter). “Things happen real quick, sometime within hours.”

Poll: Cowboys’ Contract Situation

August 22nd, 2019 at 8:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

We’ve nearly reached the daily-update stage of the Cowboys’ contract matrix. Even after the team extended Jaylon Smith, who would have been a 2020 RFA, its three stars remain on rookie contracts. With no news of Amari Cooper progress coming, and the fifth-year wide receiver indicating comfort in playing out a contract year, we will limit this to Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott hypotheses.

Both marquee Cowboys have been in the news constantly this month. Multiple reports pegged Prescott as turning down a $30MM-per-year deal, with another indicating he wants to surpass Russell Wilson‘s $35MM-AAV mark to become the NFL’s highest-paid player. Elliott, meanwhile, returned to Mexico after a Jerry Jones joke that did not go over well. Elliott’s holdout is nearing a month. Will the Cowboys resolve these situations by Week 1?

Dallas has done well to take care of its homegrown players in recent years. Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin are all on long-term contracts. The Cowboys extended DeMarcus Lawrence and Dez Bryant as well and just gave Smith $19MM fully guaranteed. But the team has angled for its current batch of standouts to take less for the greater good. Judging by Prescott’s comments on that subject this summer, and Elliott remaining in Mexico despite receiving an offer reportedly north of the Le’Veon Bell–David Johnson tier, the players do not look to have this strategy in mind.

Prescott is entering his contract year, doing so in the same type of situation Wilson did four years ago. After he drove a hard bargain all summer, the Seahawks quarterback signed an August extension rather than play on a third-round salary for a fourth season. A 2016 fourth-round pick, Prescott faces the prospect of a $2MM 2019 salary.

Elliott is under contract for two more seasons, thanks to the fifth-year option, but he’s accumulated a historic workload and may not be in as strong of a negotiating position next year were he to go through 2019 on a similar pace. Elliott’s holdout makes sense from that perspective, and he does not intend to play another down on his rookie contract. Despite Jones talking up rookie Tony Pollard, Elliott is a two-time rushing champion and has been essential in the Cowboys’ recent success.

The Cowboys also have Byron Jones and La’el Collins entering contract years, though the team having drafted Connor Williams and Connor McGovern may be a sign Collins will be allowed to test free agency. The defending NFC East champions have amassed perhaps their best talent core since their 1990s group, but the steps toward retaining it long-term have been elusive (and frustrating?) for the franchise. Although Jones remains confident in deals being finalized, we are now within two weeks of opening night.

How will the Cowboys proceed with Elliott and Prescott? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Cowboys Make Massive Offer To Ezekiel Elliott

August 22nd, 2019 at 2:36pm CST by cwcrouse

The Cowboys, regardless of Jerrah’s “Zeke who?” charades, value their top running back very much. According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Dallas has made an offer to Ezekiel Elliott that would make him one of the two highest-paid running backs in the league.

Todd Gurley, who is the highest paid running back in the league, has an average annual salary of approximately $14.38MM. Le’Veon Bell, who signed a deal this offseason, makes $13.13MM per season and is currently the second highest-paid back by AAV.

It’s been reported that Elliot is looking for a deal with annual values in the $15MM range. It would be surprising if he hits that mark but getting close seems like a realistic outcome given Werder’s report.

Members of the franchise have remained in contract with Elliott throughout his holdout with Jason Garrett describing the conversations as “very positive.”

NFC Notes: Cowboys, Compton, Fales

August 20th, 2019 at 9:45pm CST by Rory Parks

When announcing the new extension for linebacker Jaylon Smith at a press conference today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sent a clear message to a few other high-profile players who are eligible for extensions. Jones said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic, “[t]he team takes precedent at a point over the opinion or the demand of the individual. The team takes precedent. This was a team move we are talking about today. The team takes precedent. And I’ve got the backbone to keep it that way” (Twitter link).

Obviously, that statement suggests that Jones is going to hold firm on the offers that have been extended to Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott, and Amari Cooper, and as we detailed earlier today, Smith’s extension looks relatively team-friendly. Jones did say that there is “enough pie left” to get deals done with all of them, though he did not have an update on negotiations with the trio.

Let’s check out more from the NFC:

Free agent linebacker Will Compton will work out for the Saints, as John Keim of ESPN.com tweets. Compton, who played for the Redskins from 2013-17, was a full-time starter as recently as 2016. However, his 2017 campaign was marred by injury, and he played only 79 defensive snaps for the Titans last year in his first and only season in Tennessee. He would provide experienced LB depth in New Orleans, and he could also contribute on special teams.
Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press examines the Lions‘ backup QB situation, noting that presumptive QB2 Tom Savage missed his seventh straight practice on Tuesday (Savage is in the concussion protocol). That has meant more reps for David Fales and Josh Johnson, but Birkett says the Lions are unlikely to carry three QBs. So if Savage cannot be medically cleared by next Saturday, he could be cut. Fales looked sharp in the team’s last preseason game while Johnson struggled, so Fales may have a leg up if Savage can’t get healthy.
The 49ers fear that rookie wide receiver Shawn Poindexter suffered a torn ACL in Monday’s preseason win, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Poindexter, a UDFA from Arizona, appeared to be a prime practice squad candidate, and the club has already signed WR/KR Chris Thompson to take Poindexter’s place on the 90-man roster.