Stephen Jones: "we’re going to pay Zeke a significant contract at some point"

[OmerV]

Exactly what I was thinking. The Jones boys just love telling the world their plans.

"We're going drop an atomic bomb on Japan in 1945." - Colonel Jerry or Major Stephen in 1942.

I'm not sure Jerry and Stephen are worried saying this will invite a preemptive strike. In any case, is the fact the Cowboys plan to extend Zeke, or that it will be expensive, really a surprise to anyone?

 

[OmerV]

I told you we're paying Zeke because that is what we do. Not that I honestly care either way because it's not my money. It's not about Jersey sells I firmly believe that the Jones' believe in this "family" mantra. Their guys.

You don't think it has anything to do with Zeke being a good player? Besides, I don't think it can be explained simply as "what we do". We didn't offer a big contract to Murray, we cut Zez, and we didn't even offer Ware a contract at all.

 

[mattjames2010]

only because there was some year where they weren't taking them high, theres been resurgence and look at Bell, Gurley, David Johnson now and at one time AP got 11 per I believe and coming up will be Zeke, Founrette, and Saquan and all of them will get the double digit money.. just like other positions as the bigger young names come for their second contracts they will get it RB/TB is having an resurgence the last few years and the paychecks will show it IE Gurley, Bell and Johnson.. the reason its not as significant is theres a lot less of them to pay as opposed to DE, CBs, Safetys, and O/D Linemen..leave QB out of it its different zip code..

if Zeke wants more then Gurley I for sure would not want that kind of contract here , something similar maybe..same with Tank, Dak, and Amari..Cowboys need to be SMART, give them what they deserve but not make them the highest paid at their positions..that can cripple team cap..

Bell was replaced by Connor, and in many categories, Connor did better than Bell ever did in his career. Johnson was a third round pick. Gurley, without studs around him, actually looked mediocre in 2016. Fournette has been injury prone.

AP is a HOF and no one should be compared to him at this point. He's about the only legit elite RB you can really point to in the last decade, maybe Lynch (I find him overrated), and Chris Johnson was on track but he fell off quick.

The RB position and the different between good and great is too minimal to dish out big money.

 

[iceberg]

oy... I guess "poker face" is a term the Jone's don't know.

you mean paying zeke a lot of money was NOT a forgone conclusion?

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

The defense was not bad against Indy - especially with how often they were on the field.

The run defense was a disaster against Indy.

 

[gjkoeppen]

Gotta love this franchise.

Wouldn't pay Murray a lot because they had data that said there was a downturn in production of TBs. But they are going to pay a crap ton to Zeke.

Note, Murray isn't as good as Zeke, so spare the responses. But the data doesn't change depending on who you have at TB. If they truly believed TBs, at the time of looking at Murray, decline during the period we will be paying Elliott a ton, and then drop $70MM on Elliott, they are insane.

Just where did you get 70 mil? Fans start things and after a while more fans repeat it and then all of a sudden there are some that think that is legit when it was started by a user.
.

 

[Sydla]

I was thinking the Cowboys played it as not being in a position to pay both Dez and DeMarco, but in any case, for whatever reason the Cowboys may feel Zeke is a better bet than DeMarco was. A team can't treat every player and situation as identical.

Maybe that was part of it but it was well reported they took a deep analytical dive into TBs, their production and wear and tear as they aged, etc.

 

[Sydla]

Just where did you get 70 mil? Fans start things and after a while more fans repeat it and then all of a sudden there are some that think that is legit when it was started by a user.
.

Stephen is quoted as saying Gurley is the starting point for negotiations. Gurley is around $60MM in total contract, I believe. So $70MM doesn't seem that far fetched.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

This is such an unfortunate mistake. Bad enough we dropped the 4th overall pick on the guy. Now we’re proposing to throw good money after bad money. It’s how you screw your cap: by spending premium dollars on non-premium positions.

 

[blueblood70]

Bell was replaced by Connor, and in many categories, Connor did better than Bell ever did in his career. Johnson was a third round pick. Gurley, without studs around him, actually looked mediocre in 2016. Fournette has been injury prone.

AP is a HOF and no one should be compared to him at this point. He's about the only legit elite RB you can really point to in the last decade, maybe Lynch (I find him overrated), and Chris Johnson was on track but he fell off quick.

The RB position and the different between good and great is too minimal to dish out big money.

HE WILL GET BIG MONEY he made 14 as FT thats 14 real million he will get his money this year, just because Conner made an adequate replacement it was not on purpose and he wasn't BELL, not in the same league BRAH..Bell handled it wrong and I hope zeke dosnt cause the drama but dont get it twisted bell will get the money he hoped for just not from PIT..Conners goo Bell is Elite..besides pitt plays these games with all their players and is losing a ton of them..the team will pay for this soon..btw connner ddnt finish the season and Pitt missed the playoffs..

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I see no specifics what so ever in what Jones said and a little surprised about the over reaction of basically saying they intend to work out deals with DLaw, Dak and Zeke which I fully expect to be the case however there is no mentioned what so ever about contract figures. e As for Zeke does not sound as if they will do anything until some point in 2020 since Zek has the 5th year option.

+1 but getting Dak and DLaw done in 2019 is a much.

 

[OmerV]

Bell was replaced by Connor, and in many categories, Connor did better than Bell ever did in his career. Johnson was a third round pick. Gurley, without studs around him, actually looked mediocre in 2016. Fournette has been injury prone.

AP is a HOF and no one should be compared to him at this point. He's about the only legit elite RB you can really point to in the last decade, maybe Lynch (I find him overrated), and Chris Johnson was on track but he fell off quick.

The RB position and the different between good and great is too minimal to dish out big money.

What were the "many categories" that Conner did better than Bell ever did? I can't even find one category where Conner did better than Bell ever did.

As for Gurley, are you really saying 1251 yards rushing, 4.9 yards per carry, another 580 yards receiving, and 21 TDs looked "mediocre"? And that he looked worse than in the past? 2018 was his best season for yards per carry, yards per game and TD's, and his second best receiving season.

 

[OmerV]

Maybe that was part of it but it was well reported they took a deep analytical dive into TBs, their production and wear and tear as they aged, etc.

I wont argue that because I imagine those are factors a team would look at as part of the evaluation of who to pay and how much, but my main point is teams naturally won't view every player and every situation exactly the same.

 

[Direwolf63]

only because there was some year where they weren't taking them high, theres been resurgence and look at Bell, Gurley, David Johnson now and at one time AP got 11 per I believe and coming up will be Zeke, Founrette, and Saquan and all of them will get the double digit money.. just like other positions as the bigger young names come for their second contracts they will get it RB/TB is having an resurgence the last few years and the paychecks will show it IE Gurley, Bell and Johnson.. the reason its not as significant is theres a lot less of them to pay as opposed to DE, CBs, Safetys, and O/D Linemen..leave QB out of it its different zip code..

if Zeke wants more then Gurley I for sure would not want that kind of contract here , something similar maybe..same with Tank, Dak, and Amari..Cowboys need to be SMART, give them what they deserve but not make them the highest paid at their positions..that can cripple team cap..

Fournette is another example of why you dont pay RB's.

As for Saquan Barkley. Great player. Generational talent. Had an outstanding season. Arguably better than Zeke.

Result? 5-11.

You can do that with a 5th round pick.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

not the same they DID offer him good money, the extra years is what Murray wanted, so they wanted Murray but not at the years he wanted..Zekes young, durable, and 70% of our offense..until you have a for sure answer you have to consider signing him..AP is still going strong and Zeke is that kind of back as far as staying on the filed and production.. you know like ESmith..if you know hes not going to drop off cliff in 3-4 years he can play at level for at least one more contract..then why not?

I don't think he's like Emmitt in that regard. Zeke takes too many hits. Emmitt hardly ever did that. I don't believe Zeke will play nearly as long but that's just my opinion.

 

[CF74]

Sounds like....don't hold out....bear with us....you will get yours.

Or hot air to keep him happy. Stephen is doing things differently these days...

 

[eastsideboy]

Stephen Jones is like Oprah out there.

And YOU get a contract, and YOU get a contract--

Lol or like bernie. Everybody gets a free house, everybody gets a free car. Who pays it....... Don't worry about it.

 

[cowboyblue22]

will be a mistake to pay him he is a good rb but not great he is not emmitt not even close the rams had a guy the picked up from the scrape pile and beat the cowboys like a rented mule zeke is not as good as his press and if the cowboys don't get him some help at back up running back he wont last another two years

 

[Sydla]

I wont argue that because I imagine those are factors a team would look at as part of the evaluation of who to pay and how much, but my main point is teams naturally won't view every player and every situation exactly the same.

But the player shouldn't skew the data. If the data showed the Cowboys front office that paying a TB big money into his late 20s might result in a significant lack of return on resources, they shouldn't let emotion skew their analysis.

 

[aria]

Which is okay.

Cooper, Dak, and Zeke on any team equals an automatic playoff lock.

Their isn’t a better skills position tandem than those 3 outside of Ben, Levon, and AB.

Is this a joke? Honest question.