Jerry Jones seems to be taking a rigid stance against Ezekiel Elliott’s holdout.
Elliott is entering the fourth season of his rookie deal and set to make $3.8 million in base salary. The team has a $9.1 million option on him for 2020. The total price tag is a bargain for Zeke, who has won the rushing title in two of his three seasons. He is seeking a contract extension that will pay him commensurate to his ability and has not reported to Dallas Cowboys training camp yet.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Jones said he doesn’t see a point to Elliott’s holdout continuing.
At what point does the Ezekiel Elliott reach a point where it can’t go on any longer? “I don’t see a point,” Jerry Jones said. “I don’t see a point months into the season. While we’ve got some sloppy (CBA) rules relative to holdouts right now…They do bite if you don’t play.”
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) August 2, 2019
Elliott needs to report to training camp by Aug. 6 in order to receive credit for a year towards unrestricted free agency, so it seems likely he will report by then. However, he could gamble by extending his holdout in hopes of forcing the Cowboys to cave and give him a long-term deal. In that scenario, years towards free agency wouldn’t matter so long as he has monetary security from Dallas.
Jones also addressed his comment that a team does not need a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl.
Jerry Jones clarifying his comments about not needing a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl: "My point I was making is you have to put in place more than a running back to win a championship. Everybody understands that."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 2, 2019
Ultimately Jones seems to have confidence that he will be able to get a deal done.
