The Zeke Conundrum

[Sydla]

Not cherry picking a damn thing, fact when Dallas has had success running we win. I'm not trying to change your mind but it is fact this team has seen the greatest success when we have been able to run the ball. They let Murray go because of a long history dating back to OU of injuries and those injuries for the most part followed him to the Cowboys. As for when you pick a player I do so on talent and just like any position the highly talented will get drafted early. This year
Travis Etienne will be a 1st rd pick for someone and the kid has very good talent to help teams right away and in a big.

Now explain why we need a $90 million tailback in order to "run the ball" well. Seems to me if anything, the OL is more important to the running game than the TB. I mean you, yourself, have tried to excuse part of Zeke's problems last year on not having a good OL ahead of him. And, let's be honest, Elliott is basically a one trick pony at this point. He's not explosive, he's not a home run threat like a McCaffery or Barkley.

And Travis Etienne will be playing on a rookie contract that won't be pricey. It's when he gets to his second contract is where I'd probably cut bait. It just doesn't make much sense to tie that much cap space into a position like TB. The Browns had arguably one of the best running games in football and Chubb and Hunt had a combined cap hit of around $6 million in 2020. Zeke was over $10 million.

 

[Verdict]

RBs tend to fall. I would love to see us draft Rhamondre Stevenson later on in the draft 5th -7th. He would be a very strong complimentary back to Zeke and Pollard and is capable of being an every down back.

 

[Sydla]

I would beg to differ. DO you think Dak would have had a successful rookie season without Zeke's? I say it would have looked more like Joe Burrow's.

It might have. But then again, we've seen Elliott without Dak and it wasn't like Elliott was crushing it.

 

[Beaker42]

I love that you keep the personal out of it.

He’s right - that contract is a bigger albatross than Zeke himself. Worst contract in the history of the franchise and just millimeters ahead of Lawrence’s.

 

[Doomsday101]

Now explain why we need a $90 million tailback in order to "run the ball" well. Seems to me if anything, the OL is more important to the running game than the TB. I mean you, yourself, have tried to excuse part of Zeke's problems last year on not having a good OL ahead of him. And, let's be honest, Elliott is basically a one trick pony at this point. He's not explosive, he's not a home run threat like a McCaffery or Barkley.

And Travis Etienne will be playing on a rookie contract that won't be pricey. It's when he gets to his second contract is where I'd probably cut bait. It just doesn't make much sense to tie that much cap space into a position like TB. The Browns had arguably one of the best running games in football and Chubb and Hunt had a combined cap hit of around $6 million in 2020. Zeke was over $10 million.

OL is important just as it is for any RB, never said it wasn't guess what they are damn important for the highest paid player on the team QB. I think Zeke had a poor year last year and I make no excuses for it even if the yardage fell because of OL the fumbles had nothing to do with the OL. You have your own views I don't agree with, great RB are not a dime a dozen, avg players are a dime a dozen regardless of the position. As for Chubb he is on a rookie deal as is Hunt but they will not remain on rookie deals. Barkley in NY will be a FA soon and someone will pay as long as he can show full recovery from his injury

 

[INCowboysFan]

Zeke just doesnt seem to be the same back to me anymore. I mean he is pretty good but man he gets paid alot and I think you could get similar production from Sermon. Its a tough question. The thing that irks me about Zeke is how many times he takes himself out, it is alot. Its tough for me to answer this question. Sermon really does remind me of Zeke tho.

and yet he still plays more snaps than say, Derrick Henry. Now obviously, Henry has been way more productive with fewer snaps the last two years. Just using this stat to show that Zeke doesn't appear to come out of the game as often as people seem to think.

Zeke
2019 snaps - 937 (84%)
2020 snaps - 789 (69%)

Henry
2019 snaps - 589 (59%)
2020 snaps - 705 (66%)

 

[Sydla]

OL is important just as it is for any RB, never said it wasn't guess what they are damn important for the highest paid player on the team QB. I think Zeke had a poor year last year and I make no excuses for it even if the yardage fell because of OL the fumbles had nothing to do with the OL. You have your own views I don't agree with, great RB are not a dime a dozen, avg players are a dime a dozen regardless of the position. As for Chubb he is on a rookie deal as is Hunt but they will not remain on rookie deals. Barkley in NY will be a FA soon and someone will pay as long as he can show full recovery from his injury

Hunt isn't on a rookie deal. And yes, Chubb is on a rookie deal. But at the end of the day, he's still the cap hit that he is. They have found a way to build a strong running game by using FA and a rookie and keeping the cap hit down. Again, is Elliott a great running at this point? He's very good but he's not explosive to be considered great or elite at this point. Neither Hunt or Chubb are great and yet the Browns plowed teams with their running game and did so by investing far less than we did.

And whoever pays Barkley a crap ton of money will be making the same mistake we made with Elliott most likely.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Bring in some competition for Zeke. Use a middle round pick on a RB. If he fumbles. Sit his fat head down. I don’t care how much he makes. If he comes in fat. Bench him. Competition Only makes the team better

This never happens, anymore, in Dallas. We don't bring in younger guys to challenge starters. We like our guys and that's it. Then we let these young guys play elsewhere and they can sometimes pan out in a big way. We've seen it a lot under Jerry IMO.

 

[Praxit]

..if he has another bad year, probably will get shafted. To much money vested in the guy. On other hand, has good year. Then good for everyone.

 

[Doomsday101]

Hunt isn't on a rookie deal. And yes, Chubb is on a rookie deal. But at the end of the day, he's still the cap hit that he is. They have found a way to build a strong running game by using FA and a rookie and keeping the cap hit down. Again, is Elliott a great running at this point? He's very good but he's not explosive to be considered great or elite at this point. Neither Hunt or Chubb are great and yet the Browns plowed teams with their running game and did so by investing far less than we did.

And whoever pays Barkley a crap ton of money will be making the same mistake we made with Elliott most likely.

Given the problems Cowboys had, he still avg over 4 yards, fumbles I will not excuse in the least. I'm more than willing to let Zeke play do the talking this season as hopefully we see our OL back in place. Lastly Zeke contract out year is 2023 with a dead cap figure of 6.5 mill and yet if they release him will see saving of 8 mill. These contracts overall are not what they seem, they are not as black and white as we portray them to be

 

[Creeper]

It doesn't save any money if cut after the 2021 season because his 2022 salary is already guaranteed and then there's the bonus money still there for 2022,2023 and 2024.
.
.

I didn't see that his 2022 salary is guaranteed already. Thanks. But they can still trade him and save $1.6 million against the CAP. His remaining bonus money after this season is $10.8 million but his 2022 salary is $12.4 million.

 

[fivetwos]

Drafting a RB reasonably high may motivate Elliott to be what he can be.

Could be worth it on that alone.

What I hope they do moving forward is draft them in the 3rd and 4th rounds, maybe 2nd for someone special....and absolutely cut bait after the rookie deal no matter what.

 

[nightrain]

Do we keep Zeke for next season ( not this coming season)? If not do we make a move on Sermon in round 2? Zeke makes a ton of money. Sermon is a cheaper version of Zeke imho. It is an interesting take I think. It bears thought...

Nope..stuck with him until 2023. $23M due in 2022.

 

[Whyjerry]

Do we keep Zeke for next season ( not this coming season)? If not do we make a move on Sermon in round 2? Zeke makes a ton of money. Sermon is a cheaper version of Zeke imho. It is an interesting take I think. It bears thought...

Zeke tanking and not being worth close to that contract was the most predictable event of the last decade. The guy should be cut as soon as practical.

 

[fivetwos]

Nope..stuck with him until 2023. $23M due in 2022.

Well that isn't true.

23 million is dead cap money if they decide to eat it all in one season. A post June 1 trade is a possible way out.

That 6/90 contract was actually 4/60, but virtually fully guaranteed given the structure.

This I assume was in return for a low signing bonus (7.5m).

 

[nightrain]

Well that isn't true.

23 million is dead cap money if they decide to eat it all in one season. A post June 1 trade is a possible way out.

That 6/90 contract was actually 4/60, but virtually fully guaranteed given the structure.

This I assume was in return for a low signing bonus (7.5m).

It appears to be $23m due no matter how you slice it. That's a lot to pay a dude to be gone.

2023 is much more palatable to move on.

 

[conner01]

Do we keep Zeke for next season ( not this coming season)? If not do we make a move on Sermon in round 2? Zeke makes a ton of money. Sermon is a cheaper version of Zeke imho. It is an interesting take I think. It bears thought...

He’s not going anywhere the next 2 years
There is nothing to think about
The out built into his contract makes the decision two years away

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

It might have. But then again, we've seen Elliott without Dak and it wasn't like Elliott was crushing it.

That's exactly my point. We spent 2-3 years calling them Dynamic Duo. Buddies, pals. And really....they are good for each other on the field. If we HERE...spend (so) much energy disrespecting *(insulting) Andy Dalton as a QB threat...what do you think NFL defenses do? It's hard to see on a TV coverage, and teams don't generally advertise their schemes, for what should be obvious reasons. But Back up "sheety" QB....decimated o-line....a defense that can get shredded...who do you think they want to stop? ( ZEKE) And here we sit bashing zeke like he's a Ginat or Beagle. I find it pathetic. Absolutely NOT a fan. Fan = Fanatic...if you recall.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Do we keep Zeke for next season ( not this coming season)?

2022 for Zeke became guaranteed this March 2021.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/ezekiel-elliott-18952/

Possible that we trade him, though we'd likely have to eat some of that salary. I expect him here through 2022.

 

[Sydla]

That's exactly my point. We spent 2-3 years calling them Dynamic Duo. Buddies, pals. And really....they are good for each other on the field. If we HERE...spend (so) much energy disrespecting *(insulting) Andy Dalton as a QB threat...what do you think NFL defenses do? It's hard to see on a TV coverage, and teams don't generally advertise their schemes, for what should be obvious reasons. But Back up "sheety" QB....decimated o-line....a defense that can get shredded...who do you think they want to stop? ( ZEKE) And here we sit bashing zeke like he's a Ginat or Beagle. I find it pathetic. Absolutely NOT a fan. Fan = Fanatic...if you recall.

So we have to think all our players are good and that we never make poor roster decisions?

We made a mistake signing Elliott to a long term deal. But because we are now stuck with him and his contract I hope he runs for 2000 yards this season. But I also won’t go stupid and pretend that signing him wasn’t a questionable decision.