Restructuring of RB Ezekiel Elliott’s contract helps Dallas Cowboys now and in future
The Dallas Cowboys reworked the contract of running back Ezekiel Elliott, creating cap space for 2021 and possibly 2022.
The Cowboys converted $8.6 million of Elliott’s $9.6 million base salary into a signing bonus, which creates $6.88 million in cap space for 2021.
The restructuring puts the Cowboys $12 million under cap in 2021, money they can use to add players after final cuts or via trade.
If the Cowboys don’t use it, they call roll over the $6.8 million to next year’s cap.
According to overthecap.com, the Cowboys are $26 million over the 2022 cap based on this year’s figures. That number should change once the new league year starts and the NFL adjusts the cap based on 2021 revenues.
The move has no impact on Elliott’s future with the Cowboys. He signed a six-year, $90 million extension before the 2019 season.
His $12.4 million base salary for next season was already guaranteed.
His cap number will jump to $18.2 million in 2022 and $16.7 million in 2023.
The Cowboys could conceivably move on from Elliott before the 2023 season with a cap hit of $11.8 million. That dead money figure drops to $6 million in 2024.
The move shows that the Cowboys have no concerns about Elliott’s ability to bounce back from last season’s disappointing season when he rushed for a career-low 979 yards and averaged a career-low 4.0 yards per carry and 4.4 yards per touch.
His 1,654 touches since coming into league in 2016 are the most in the NFL and could suggest some wearing down on his body.
But Elliott, who just turned 26, is heading into 2021 season in the best shape of his career.
The two-time rushing champion is lighter, quicker and faster after an intense workout regimen during the off season and he is motivated to regain his status as one of the league’s premier running backs.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 1:45 PM.
