Not only did they use the #4 overall pick - their highest draft asset in years - on a running back, but they then paid him tops in the league at his position. This after seeing the previous disastrous contracts given to guys like Le'veon Bell and Todd Gurley, where the teams dumb enough to get into those deals couldn't wait to get out of them!
To add even more insult Zeke was like top 3 in the NFL in guranteed money for his position when he held out (rookie deal + 5th year was like 34 million fully guranteed).
His agent was smart, he knew Stephen blabbed to the media about how "Zekes our boy for life, we already have the money allocated for him, Gurley is the starting point for negotiations" so there was no way the front office wasn't going to cave in.
He only did it because he knew he could get away with it. If it had been the Patriots or Seahawks the tone to the media would of been "no we don't do holdouts with 2 years left, we don't have a history of this and will never will, next question".
Stephen Jones was quoted several times during the 2018 season that he will take care of Zeke........he just needs him to be patient. So I think he had every intention of resigning Zeke, just not a year before his option.
Problem is telling the whole world not only are we paying you at minimum Gurley money but we already have the money ready for you. That basically ruins any chance you have of waiting or doing things on your timeline