Is Ezekiel Elliott headed for a holdout with the Dallas Cowboys? The answer is tricky
Dallas Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones had some good news and possibly some bad news when it comes to a contract extension for running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The question is how is Elliott, who is considering a holdout if he doesn’t get a new deal this off-season, going to respond?
Jones said the Cowboys will give the two-time NFL rushing champ a significant contract at some point in the future.
But it did not seem to come with the urgency of this off-season.
Elliott would like a contract extension before his fourth season, similar to Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams, who signed a four-year extension in July 2018 that included $57.5 million in new money and $45 million in guaranteed money, according to sources.
Elliott is due to earn $3.8 million this year and the Cowboys can pick up the fifth-year option in his contract, keeping him in their control through 2020.
The money is coming, sure. But when?
“Well, I mean we’ve got it budgeted that we’re going to pay Zeke a significant contract at some point,” Jones said. “He’s right there at the top with the best of the business, if not the best. We saw what Gurley got paid, and that’s probably where it starts, and we’ll go from there.”
The question is whether Elliott will be comforted by this promise of being taken care of at some point? Or will he feel left out in an off-season when the Cowboys are more focused on contract extensions for defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver Amari Cooper?
There is a good chance Elliott could hold out if he doesn’t get a new deal this off-season, according to sources.
He is in the prime of his career and wants to maximize his earning potential now rather than in the future when the Cowboys could potentially use the toll of his heavy usage against him.
He is certainly deserving of a new deal now, just as Jones believes Prescott is.
Elliott has more than surpassed his rookie contract as well and he is undoubtedly the foundation of any success the team has had on offense since being picked fourth overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Waiting another year could result in hurt feelings and a holdout.
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 11:03 AM.
