Rumor: Zeke Turns Down Contract

[superonyx]

How in the world can you blame the front office?

Let's see:
Has past issues that the owner goes to bat for over and over - check
Has issues in offseason again - check
Has 2 years left on deal - check
Already been paid a big chunk of money - check
Demands new contract after barely slipping by another suspension - check
Gets butt hurt over a joke - check


But sure...failure on owner and not knucklehead player and turd agent.

Its very simple.
Zeke and his team didnt just pull a surprise training camp hold out. They knew it was coming and they knew why.
If you are the GM and your best player and a guy who is the best in the league at his position is asking for a new deal you listen. You know where you stand and you make a decision.
This isnt that hard. If you know this guy isnt going to play if he isnt the highest paid in the league then you either make him the highest paid or you move him before training camp.
Did the FO think if they ignored the problem it would just go away.


And as far as Jerry going to bat for Zeke. BS! Jerry went to bat for himself and his team. He is an old man who knew without Zeke his team would stink. He wasnt fighting for Zeke. He was fighting for the cowboys. If it was Terrence Williams would Jerry have went to bat for him? Hell no. So stop it. Wake up.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

The issue is that if a player wants a contract early (i.e. With 2 years remaining under contract) then the player needs to take a "team friendly" deal.

If Zeke was an unrestricted free agent, then he should get more than Bell, but he must wait to get to UFA status.

Yes and no. In principle, you’re right. But we’re talking about the best player in the league at his position and an abnormally vital cog to your championship hopes. He has earned an exception like Aaron Donald did, like Patrick Mahomes will. Allowing rookies to sign only after 3 years was implemented for this exact case: when someone has woefully outplayed his deal.

 

[glimmerman]

Stephen jones opened his mouth in public now its either pay zeke and set the market for running backs or let him set and trade him and draft someone else the problem with this is this team is ready to win now with out zeke they are a 8 and 8 or 9 and 7 team even with him I still don't think they are superbowl contenders because I still don't believe the qb and the coaches are good enough

Yes he did. But I think they wanted to wait till next year. But SJ opened his mouth and now Elliot’s wants it now and may not settle for less. If they let him set until we lose a certain amount of games and toy with the season I will be very angry. Give him the last offer and get it over with, which I am guessing is what his agent is counting on.

 

[DFWJC]

Because Zeke is coming in two years before his contract is up, he really should consider this a win if he gets a deal just under Gurleys, but a year early.
This is silly

If he wants to wait a year and not get a raise this year, then who knows.
But the team has to add this years raise to what their offer would be next year....and my guess is it does add up as much or more than Gurley money.

 

[tyke1doe]

This was the team's second offer.

Okay. Still progress. The Jones know how this game works. Zeke does too.
It's a cat-and-mouse game.
Patience MUST be a virtue when you're talking about negotiations.
I'm not worried. The Jones will either up the ante or Zeke will either yield or sit until he has to come in to qualify for his obligatory season service per his current contract.

 

[JeffAtl]

The guaranteed money is what is the most important number.

Yes, and also up front cash. If Zeke had not received his signing bonus in cash all upfront, he would be much less likely to hold our this year.

That is why "locking up a player long term" isn't really a thing unless the guaranteed money is spread out over time or even back loaded. A player will just sit out for a new deal.

 

[Cowboys22]

Gurley:

2015 - Games 13 Games Started 12 Rush 229 Yards 1106 Yards Avg 4.8 Yards/Game 85.1
2016 - Games 16 Games Started 16 Rush 278 Yards 885 Yards Avg 3.2 Yards/Game 55.3
2017 - Games 15 Games Started 15 Rush 279 Yards 1305 Yards Avg 4.7 Yards/Game 87.0
2018 - Games 14 Games Started 14 Rush 256 Yards 1271 Yards Avg 4.8 Yards/Game 89.4

Elliott:

2016 - Games 15 Games Started 15 Rush 322 Yards 1631 Yards Avg 5.1 Yards/Game 108.7
2017 - Games 10 Games Started 10 Rush 242 Yards 983 Yards Avg 4.1 Yards/Game 98.3
2018 - Games 15 Games Started 15 Rush 304 Yards 1434 Yards Avg 4.7 Yards/Game 95.6

Zeke has played in 6 less games
Gurley has 499 more yards
Zeke averages 4.7 per carry over Gurley's 4.4
Zeke's per game rushing is 101.2 vs Gurley's 78.4

Posting one game or one carry and suggesting that tells you which is the better back is disingenuous

Were Zeke to have those extra six games, he would be leading Gurley by 100 yards in one less season.

But to make this even more apparent. Zeke has 111 less carries than Emmitt in the same time frame of the first three years. Emmitt has 165 yards more than Zeke in six more games.

Zeke is the best running back in the league. The size of the paycheck indicates how the team values the player. The Rams overpaid Gurley. That is not Zeke's fault.

Zeke is not the best RB in the league. He is a very good RB on a run first team who has been given the most carries of any RB. His yardage totals are at the top but his TDs are not because he rarely breaks anything past 12-15 yards and even those are rare. He is a 3 to 8 yard RB who gets the most carries and so he has good yardage numbers. Some may not agree but there are lots of RBs who could put up his numbers behind our OL if given the same number of touches. They’re in the draft every year. I say go get another one to pair with Pollard and be done with this narcissistic headcase.

 

[JayFord]

Because Zeke is coming in two years before his contract is up, he really should consider this a win if he gets a deal just under Gurleys, but a year early.
This is silly

This isn’t silly

This is Dallas Cowboys baby!!!!

 

[glimmerman]

Its very simple.
Zeke and his team didnt just pull a surprise training camp hold out. They knew it was coming and they knew why.
If you are the GM and your best player and a guy who is the best in the league at his position is asking for a new deal you listen. You know where you stand and you make a decision.
This isnt that hard. If you know this guy isnt going to play if he isnt the highest paid in the league then you either make him the highest paid or you move him before training camp.
Did the FO think if they ignored the problem it would just go away.


And as far as Jerry going to bat for Zeke. BS! Jerry went to bat for himself and his team. He is an old man who knew without Zeke his team would stink. He wasnt fighting for Zeke. He was fighting for the cowboys. If it was Terrence Williams would Jerry have went to bat for him? Hell no. So stop it. Wake up.

JJ maybe spanking SJ for opening his mouth and earlier and telling what we will offer up. Hard to play a winning hand when someone knows your cards.

 

[tyke1doe]

You forgot one:

Make an unnecessary, stupid comment then backpedal when the player takes you at your word - check.

It always amuses me that fans forget exactly what takes place during negotiations.

 

[tyke1doe]

JJ maybe spanking SJ for opening his mouth and earlier and telling what we will offer up. Hard to play a winning hand when someone knows your cards.

Like father like son. Shrug.

 

[Brooksey]

Let him sit for three years and go play for the Commanders when he's broke and 27. Im sure they offered him a fair deal, he's under contract

 

[slick325]

All part of the business. The sides will probably add more guaranteed money and get it done. AAV and total dollar amount of these deals are secondary matters for most players and agents.

 

[mcmvp]

Well then if all these teams will overpay we should be able to get good trade value

I doubt there are many teams that would be willing to pay Gurley money. But that said, what a team is willing to pay in a contract is not the same as what the team is willing to part with as far as trade compensation

 

[viman96]

And he use to work at a liquor store.

Ah now it makes sense! hahaha

 

[CouchCoach]

Is there a reason we're not fully aware of that is causing them to stand tall and < 48 hours making another offer?

There are two things that could be of concern to them. One is that piece about the reporters grading Prescott which was counter to all the good stuff coming from the team. The other is this mystery foot injury that Cooper has. He calls it Plantar as diagnosed and they're saying it isn't. And they have the history of downplaying injuries.

We don't know the offer but we do know Booger acts all butthurt about Elliott's reaction to his joke and he talks about being the man to stand his ground and then they're making another offer within two days? Could it be that Elliott and his agent see that pc as nothing more than posturing and puffery because he did exactly what he intimated he would not do. And maybe he planned on standing his ground and the real prognosis of Cooper and his availability of being 100% and Prescott's lack of real progress at camp hit him and he's in a little bit of a panic mode?

If Prescott is not really improved and Cooper can't go or even be at 80%, to not have their RB1 and best DE's and possibly best CB, these first two games are losable. Those could impact the season as division records are the first tie-breaker after head to head.

 

[jazzcat22]

I am a big fan of Zeke, as I started back in 2014, well after the 2014 college season. Saying Dallas needs to find a way to draft him.
But this is just stupid on Zeke's part not to take that deal. Or if they counter make it not much higher than that. Not that 15% to 20% higher as that Joe Thomas tweet. If that is what he really wants.
Have fun sitting on the couch Zeke. Time to see if Pollard is really all that and if Dak has improved to actually lead the team as a QB should. Prove you can live up to that $35 million or whatever he wants. Win a SB Dak without Zeke. Then you will get more fans on your side.

I would welcome Zeke back of course, but not if he sits out any games over this offer or a slightly higher one.
Welcome to the NFL Pollard. You are the next RB up for America's team.

 

[xwalker]

note to McClay: don't draft a player repped by Rocky

I would love to see the Cowboys refuse to sign Zeke and then Zeke reports for game 1 and fires his agent.

It would be even funnier if Zeke then hired Dak's agent and the Cowboys gave him the contract he demanded previously after he had been with the new agent for 1 day.

Dak's agent get's the top RB contract for 1 day of work. He should be on goods terms with the Cowboys for that.

Other players would see that holdouts don't work with the Cowboys.

 

[mcmvp]

The guaranteed money is what is the most important number.

Yep… He’s probably saying 50 mill guaranteed… If he’s listening to Joe Thomas

 

[glimmerman]

Something told me this wasn’t going to happen when faulk was going to train him. What was he going to do fly there and train him for 1 workout.

If we sign him it will be with a week to spare. Sept 1st or somewhere around there. He will be out of sync with the line and will take him a game or 2.