With over a week of Training Camp finished, Cowboys star RB Ezekiel Elliott remains absent. Reportedly in Cabo, Zeke is angling to become the NFL’s highest-paid runner, even with two years left on his rookie deal.
Considering Zeke has been the heartbeat of the Cowboys offense — all while leading the league in rushing two of the last three seasons — a new-deal feels certain. However, owner Jerry Jones’ latest comments suggest the team is dug-in, casting doubt on the situation.
When asked his take, Jones did say he is “confident an agreement will be reached.” Yet, he also added “you don’t have to have a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl.” More concerningly, “Jones does not see an end to this holdout…and it could be months into the season.”
Considering Zeke and the team are reportedly “not close” on any parts of the deal, a lengthy holdout can’t be ruled out. As such, my former “No Brainer at No.1” takes a steep fall due to his enormous added fantasy risk.
Between Zeke and Melvin Gordon, early drafters and best-ballers now face uncertainty with two former Top-Five locks. Though Jones’ harsh comments may appear to be “hardball,” the Cowboys have a bevy of crucial players in contract-years, including QB Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper. Jones also has a track-record to support his claims, as he let DeMarco Murray walk in 2015, right after he led the league in rushing.
