What if Zeke received the Murray treatment

[Hawkeye0202]

Why do many want to, or at least keep bringing up about not keeping Zeke. Not this,thread yet, but many other threads.
He has this year and they picked up the 5th year option. He is the cog that makes this offense go.

But yet fans wants to let him walk to save a few bucks, and are already trying to replace him.
He is not going anywhere, and can’t see him being a Leveon Bell type distraction if they want to franchise tag him.

They think there is some magical 4 or 5 year frame where the wheels fall off of RB’s. Let’s see where it all stands 2 years from now. In spite of the average RB NFL life span is low, but that is taking into account all RB’s, not just starters. As that number is true for all players not just RB’s. Unless there are new number breakdown out there somewhere.

Guess we didn't learn anything from the Murray issues........RBs are NOT a dime a dozen. Especially if you're a run-first team ....

 

[slick325]

I think "generational talent" is a little overblown. Zeke is in a tier with Barkley and Gurley (assuming whatever was going on with Gurley late last season is resolved). Not sure how you have three generational talents show up in 4 years. And that's not even mentioning David Johnson (injured and misused) or Le'Veon Bell (wouldn't stand for being given the Murray treatment by Pittsburgh).

Frankly, to me, Zeke is just not all that special. I mean, yes, in the sense that he's a top-5 RB in the league. But he hasn't had a run longer than 41 yards in two years, he's not Johnson or Bell in the passing game, and he has been worked HARD, both in college and with the Cowboys. I'd be very nervous about the value Dallas would be getting on that second contract.

Going into the playoffs, Zeke was averaging 101.2 rushing yards per game in his first 3 seasons in the League. That put him behind only the great Jim Brown (104.3 yds/game) and ahead of Barry Sanders (99.8 yds/game), Terrell Davis (97.5 yds/game) and Eric Dickerson (90.8 yds/game). Making Zeke number 2 all-time in yds per after 3 seasons. Each name on the list is in the HOF.

That is what makes him generational. That also makes him different than Gurley, Barkley, Bell and David Johnson. Barkley may make that list but it is not likely IMO. Also, just because you play at a time with other great players, HOF players, at your position does not make you any less great or generational. Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and Thurman Thomas all were between the lines at the same time. Emmitt is still a great. Zeke playing at the same time as them does not diminish his abilities in my opinion. He is a special player.

 

[mattjames2010]

Guess we didn't learn anything from the Murray issues........RBs are NOT a dime a dozen. Especially if you're a run-first team ....

We only lost Murray for a year before we found his replacement LOL

 

[DallasEast]

Both Murray and Elliott have coughed up the ball but why does it seem to me Murray excelled at fumbling usually at the most inopportune moments?

 

[mattjames2010]

Going into the playoffs, Zeke was averaging 101.2 rushing yards per game in his first 3 seasons in the League. That put him behind only the great Jim Brown (104.3 yds/game) and ahead of Barry Sanders (99.8 yds/game), Terrell Davis (97.5 yds/game) and Eric Dickerson (90.8 yds/game). Making Zeke number 2 all-time in yds per after 3 seasons. Each name on the list is in the HOF.

That is what makes him generational. That also makes him different than Gurley, Barkley, Bell and David Johnson. Barkley may make that list but it is not likely IMO. Also, just because you play at a time with other great players, HOF players, at your position does not make you any less great or ge
generational. Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and Thran Thomas all were between the lines at the same time. Emmitt is still a great. Zeke playing at the same time as them does not diminish his abilities in my opinion. He is a special player.

It's easy to rack up yards when you're behind one of the best O-Lines in football your first season and you average 300+ touches a season.

In comparison, Barkley's season last year was superior to Zeke's in every way. Same with Gurley's if he didn't get injured late in the season, even McCaffrey was right alongside them in total yards..

 

[Fletch]

I mean I actually see nothing wrong with letting Zeke walk if things get out of hand.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ing-for-a-future-without-ezekiel-elliott/amp/

Reasons why we drafted Weber. Not that Weber, Jr. is close to the star Zeke is, but he could be the fall back.

 

[mattjames2010]

Both Murray and Elliott have coughed up the ball but why does it seem to me Murray excelled at fumbling usually at the most inopportune moments?

Zeke fumbled the game away against Seattle. He's gotten very lucky with his other fumbles and how they bounced.

 

[nate dizzle]

He isn't going into his 7th and 8th season without ever having a second contract LOL

So Dallas recently picked up his 5th year option.

That's 5.

If they tag him 2x, that's 7.

I've done it several times and each time the math comes out the same.

Are you saying they wouldn't tag him? If so, I disagree.

 

[SoupcanSam]

There's an argument to be made there. Murray was a 5.0 yards a carry guy who also was much more of a receiving threat than Zeke. Murray had slippery moves that Zeke just doesn't have. Zeke is more of a power runner, rarely goes backwards. Both are great. But Cowboys made the absolute right move letting Murray go. Although their immediate replacement did not work out, Murray would not have finished out his 2nd contract here. He broke down after the 2nd year away.

Well the coaches are the ones that ran murray into the ground because of the lack of coaching. They are doing the same with Zeke. What do you think will happen to zeke.

Zeke is good but he aint no super hero.

 

[mattjames2010]

So Dallas recently picked up his 5th year option.

That's 5.

If they tag him 2x, that's 7.

I've done it several times and each time the math comes out the same.

Are you saying they wouldn't tag him? If so, I disagree.

I'm telling you, he isn't going to play on a tag twice. He's going to ask to be traded - it may even happens sooner. Why would you ever expect, with the shelf life of RBs, that Zeke who is supposedly the BEST in the league would wait around until the near twilight of his career to get a real extension?

He's going to want his second contract and he will get it, even if it's not from us.

 

[slick325]

It's easy to rack up yards when you're behind one of the best O-Lines in football your first season and you average 300+ touches a season.

In comparison, Barkley's season last year was superior to Zeke's in every way. Same with Gurley's if he didn't get injured late in the season, even McCaffrey was right alongside them in total yards..

Same nonsense they said about Emmitt. Number one argument against his greatness by opposing fans actually Matt.

The Dallas line is great but it also has had a different LG, different C and at times different LT, none of the replacements have been Pro Bowl talents...yet, no matter who has been in front of him he seems to make it easy to rack up yards.

 

[nate dizzle]

I'm telling you, he isn't going to play on a tag twice. He's going to ask to be traded - it may even happens sooner. Why would you ever expect, with the shelf life of RBs, that Zeke who is supposedly the BEST in the league would wait around until the near twilight of his career to get a real extension?

He's going to want his second contract and he will get it, even if it's not from us.

He can certainly go that route and give up a year of pay like Bell did. That's money that you can never earn again and was a foolish move by Bell. I hope Zeke has better people advising him.

 

[InTheZone]

I mean I actually see nothing wrong with letting Zeke walk if things get out of hand.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...ing-for-a-future-without-ezekiel-elliott/amp/

Murray wanted more than he was worth, was much older, and had been slowed by a heavy workload. You could see he was beat up.

This is not the case with Zeke so this shouldn't even be a concern. Zeke has led the NFL every year when he's on the field, he will be effective for several more years. After this next contract we can talk about his worth.

 

[mattjames2010]

Same nonsense they said about Emmitt. Number one argument against his greatness by opposing fans actually Matt.

The Dallas line is great but it also has had a different LG, different C and at times different LT, none of the replacements have been Pro Bowl talents...yet, no matter who has been in front of him he seems to make it easy to rack up yards.

Emmitt wasn't an amazing player as a runner or receiver - he had amazing durability. Do you think Zeke will last as long as Smith did? Get real.

 

[Stash]

Guess we didn't learn anything from the Murray issues........RBs are NOT a dime a dozen. Especially if you're a run-first team ....

What exactly did they "learn" then? They went from Murray leading the league in rushing in 2014 to Zeke leading the league in rushing in 2016. And McFadden resuscitating his failed career going over 1,000 yards and finishing 4th in the league, in between. That sounds exactly like "dime a dozen" based on how well multiple backs were able to perform.

 

[mattjames2010]

He can certainly go that route and give up a year of pay like Bell did. That's money that you can never earn again and was a foolish move by Bell. I hope Zeke has better people advising him.

No, it wouldn't be a foolish move - again, no player is going to wait until their 7th or 8th season in the league for their second contract, especially someone like Zeke when he knows he can get a big contract elsewhere just by sitting.

It's not happening and the Jones will give in long before Zeke did. Bell didn't get his contract due to injuries and off the field issues - Zeke has had a minor problem of course, but I haven't heard anything about attitude problems and I doubt our players would be dissing Zeke for holding out like the Steelers locker room did.

 

[slick325]

Emmitt wasn't an amazing player as a runner or receiver - he had amazing durability. Do you think Zeke will last as long as Smith did? Get real.

Not as long as Emmitt but yes I can see him lasting as long as LaDanian Tomlinson or Shady McCoy or Adrian Peterson or a littany of backs that were durable and very good to great.

 

[ryanbabs]

Guess we didn't learn anything from the Murray issues........RBs are NOT a dime a dozen. Especially if you're a run-first team ....

Right. If they were a dime a dozen, we wouldn't even have Zeke in the first place.

 

[mattjames2010]

Not as long as Emmitt but yes I can see him lasting as long as LaDanian Tomlinson or Shady McCoy or Adrian Peterson or a littany of backs that were durable and very good to great.

McCoy isn't legendary - he was a really good RB and behind one of the best lines we've seen this decade, Zeke got 1,600 yards rushing. Peterson got 2,000 behind an average to good O-Line coming off an ACL tear and dragged a bad team to the playoffs. LT was great in every aspect of the game.

So again, the only outstanding thing Zeke could do would be to be as durable as they come and I don't see this happening. He's already lost some speed from his rookie season.

 

[mattjames2010]

Right. If they were a dime a dozen, we wouldn't even have Zeke in the first place.

We drafted Zeke due to a win now mindset in the 2016 draft. Remember, we had Romo then and felt we were a player or two away from a Super Bowl.