The hold out saga has finally ceased, and the Cowboys have paid their star running back. Elliott did not back down from his demands during the process, and was rewarded for his efforts with massive contract. This article will be a breakdown of the move, and what it means for both sides moving forward.
The Deal:
Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back: 6 years 90 million and 50 million guaranteed
Reaction, Analysis, & Grade:
This agreement was a long drawn out process, and took haggling on both sides to get done. In the end, Ezekiel Elliott bet on himself, and the Cowboys rewarded him with a sweet new contract. The deal will make him the highest paid running back in NFL history which was his main desire. If you look at his on the field work you cannot deny he deserved a massive upgrade in salary. The Cowboys had to pay a steep price to finish this deal, but allowed themselves to ensure their top offensive player would suit up week one. This deal looks daunting, but the Cowboys have structured the deal with a potential out option in 2023. If Elliott’s production goes down or the sides drift apart the Cowboys could move on four years from now. This is a record breaking deal for the running back position in a era where running back extensions are scarce. As for as the talent, Elliott has arguably been the best running back in the NFL since day one. He is the definition of a do it all back that has carried the Cowboys offense for years. He is excellent in short yardage situations, and doesn’t go down easy at first contact. He has an innate ability to always fall forward, and rarely is taken down for negative yardage. Elliott also is deceptively fast, and has the ability to break free from the pack in space. One of the most underrated values with Zeke is his high level pass blocking. He is tremendous at picking up blitzers, and more times than not saves his quarterback from getting hit. As a receiver, Elliott is skilled as well running solid routes, and having the shiftiness to make defenders miss. Ezekiel is a tremendous athlete that has countless highlights of hurdling over potential tacklers and outrunning defensive backs. To this point, he has been very durable, and has yet to face any serious injuries in his pro career. Elliott has always been a hard working player, and very rarely shows up to camp out of shape. If you look at Elliott strictly as a player this seems like a no brainer. However, this deal is not in place without legit risks involved. Elliott has had numerous off the field issues that have led to him being suspended, and has found himself in the media for the wrong reasons. His immaturity has been baffling at times, and has been one of the reasons the Cowboys were hesitant to guarantee this much money. Another concern is the shelf life of running backs in the NFL. Running backs tend to have a solid five to six years before their workload takes over. They are figuratively involved in a human car crash every play as they are literally running into defenders every play. The amount of wear and tear on the body is not something that should be ignored. Especially when you think about the number of touches Elliott gets every game. He has had at least 300 carries in two of his first three seasons, and didn’t eclipse that mark in 2017 because he missed six games due to suspension. This isn’t even counting the hits he takes in the pass blocking set as well as a receiver. A big part of this commitment is seeing how durable Elliott remains as the touches pile up. He is only 24 years old, but has already been used at a premium with this run first offense the Cowboys like to use. The good thing for Elliot and the Cowboys is that they have one of the best offensive lines in football. Elliott doesn’t have to deal with playing with a bad front line, and rarely takes clean, punishing hits like less fortunate running backs. The Cowboys have secured their offensive line long term with contracts so Elliott can expect to be protected throughout the duration of this deal. In the end, this is a massive investment in a shaky at best character. Elliott is a tremendous talent, and if we were talking about football alone I would give this deal an A grade. However, he hasn’t shown the ability to stay out of trouble, and only be in the media for his accomplishments which is concerning. The Cowboys obviously are confident he will overcome his past, and continue to be one of the best running backs in the league. They enter the 2019 season with one of their best rosters on paper in years, and Elliott will only boost their hopes for a championship. Only time will tell if this deal was worth the risk, or if the Cowboys will regret shelling out this money. I am interested to see how Dallas is going to resign their remaining free agents like Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and Byron Jones. They have spent a ton of money this offseason, and even though the cap space will increase next year their extension spending has been astronomical. This team could look very different next year if they aren’t able to secure deals with their remaining soon to be free agents.
Grade: B
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