Is Trading Zeke on the Table?

[CouchCoach]

Their first mistake was using a 1st round pick on a committee back in the first place!

They underutilized his talent and he should have been the KR and rotational back just as he was in college. He could fill in when McFadden was out but that was not his strength or how they used him.

 

[CouchCoach]

I have been a football fan since I was 6 (2001). I've said that the two best running backs of this era are LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson. Here is how Zeke compares to those two in their first 3 seasons (by the way, this is averaging their total yards a game as if they played the full 48 games-LT actually did:

Zeke 6,360 total yards 41 TD
AP 5,530 total yards 43 TD His prime was from age 22 to age 30
LT 6,100 total yards 42 TD His prime was from age 22 to age 29

Zeke is the third best running back of this era. He compares to both of those guys. I take him over Gurley, Bell, and others. Saquon can join that group. His behavior has to improve but he is a Hall of Fame talent. I think Zeke can play at a prime level until about 2024. That is 6 more years including this year. Pay the man. If he was a DeMarco Murray like running back I agree let him walk. But he is special. I think Dak compares really well to Russell Wilson in his first three years. Could you imagine Russell Wilson with Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson?? I know that is a bit of a stretch but that is essentially what we have.

By the way...Zack is locked up until 2025, Tyron and Travis unitl 2024. Who knows how Williams or McGovern turn out.

How many rings do Peterson and Tomlinson have?

 

[ItzKelz]

So we should revisit this four years from now, when Elliott reaches that same point in his career then?

He has 2 years left on his contract which would put him at 26 I believe. We should not let it him get to 28 before exploring a trade and getting value in return.

 

[DuncanIso]

But at that point would want to pay an RB nearing the end of his prime 15 mil?

He's 24 next week.

Lots of tread on those tires.

 

[IndianaCowboys1994]

Colin Cowherd suggested today that Zeke should be traded while his value is high. I have mixed emotions about that because Dak needs him. But a trade could be a blessing in disguise because if Dak plays without Zeke this season and his numbers drop than his demand for a high contract will go down.

Therefore, I say trade Zeke for a high draft pick because he has two or three good years left. Plus this team is more than likely will not make the Super Bowl under Jason Garrett anyway. So why waste talent again under Jason Garrett?

But Zeke is more important than Dak by the way.

That is why you fire Garrett if they don't make at least the NFC Championship game. Here is who Dallas has under contract
LVE until after the 2022 season
Tyron, Tank, and Travis until after the 2023 season
Zack until after the 2024 season

Sign Dak, Zeke, and one or two of Amari/Byron/Jaylon and keep drafting starters. There is a legit 5 year Super Bowl window. Don't waste it with Garrett, especially since he can't get it done. This team has the most talent a Dallas team has had in my 20 sad years of being a die-hard fan lol.

 

[CouchCoach]

I have been a football fan since I was 6 (2001). I've said that the two best running backs of this era are LaDainian Tomlinson and Adrian Peterson. Here is how Zeke compares to those two in their first 3 seasons (by the way, this is averaging their total yards a game as if they played the full 48 games-LT actually did:

Zeke 6,360 total yards 41 TD
AP 5,530 total yards 43 TD His prime was from age 22 to age 30
LT 6,100 total yards 42 TD His prime was from age 22 to age 29

Zeke is the third best running back of this era. He compares to both of those guys. I take him over Gurley, Bell, and others. Saquon can join that group. His behavior has to improve but he is a Hall of Fame talent. I think Zeke can play at a prime level until about 2024. That is 6 more years including this year. Pay the man. If he was a DeMarco Murray like running back I agree let him walk. But he is special. I think Dak compares really well to Russell Wilson in his first three years. Could you imagine Russell Wilson with Adrian Peterson or LaDainian Tomlinson?? I know that is a bit of a stretch but that is essentially what we have.

By the way...Zack is locked up until 2025, Tyron and Travis unitl 2024. Who knows how Williams or McGovern turn out.

That's fine if your goal is to have an elite back, however, lately, elite backs haven't won anything but rushing titles.

 

[Stash]

They underutilized his talent and he should have been the KR and rotational back just as he was in college. He could fill in when McFadden was out but that was not his strength or how they used him.

Simply a terrible use of a 1st round draft pick.

 

[gmoney112]

I hadn't really thought about it, but sure why not. Obviously depends on what I'm getting in return. And it wouldn't be this year.

If I think it might be a top 20 first round pick. I'd probably do it. I don't think anyone will do that next year though.

 

[Stash]

He has 2 years left on his contract which would put him at 26 I believe. We should not let it him get to 28 before exploring a trade and getting value in return.

You still haven't defined "value", much less the idea that someone would line up to trade for and then pay a running back. That doesn't happen.

 

[the_h0wey]

A question for Cowboys fans. This is a question not related to the off the field issues. Is Zeke worth a new contract with over 1500 carries since college?

Personally I would love to have Zeke the next couple years but I personally would not mind letting him after that. At that point he would be coming close to the end of his prime. So why not explore trading him now while he has value?

Okay great you trade him and then what? This team is built to win now and trading away the most important member of your team is dumb.

 

[IndianaCowboys1994]

That's fine if your goal is to have an elite back, however, lately, elite backs haven't won anything but rushing titles.

I can't argue with that. But there is a ton of talent around Zeke. AP and LT didn't have this much talent.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Until we know how to run an offense that is not outdated and based on a great OL and bell cow RB, Zeke is needed. I hate investing so much in OL and RB but it is what we have done so Zeke is needed. We saw how this team looked without Murray in 2015. Offense was terrible. And without Zeke for 6 games a few years ago. It isn't pretty. When you build your offense around one guy and that you depend on him producing, the next man up will be drastically worse.

That's what some don't understand. We are a run first team. Zeke means more to us than he would for some other teams. We are supposedly built to win now. I'm tired of keep rebuilding and nothing ever comes of it.

 

[Stash]

I hadn't really thought about it, but sure why not. Obviously depends on what I'm getting in return. And it wouldn't be this year.

If I think it might be a top 20 first round pick. I'd probably do it. I don't think anyone will do that next year though.

I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find a GM who actually works for an owner who would put his job on the line by trading away a "top 20 first round pick", followed by paying the player top money at his position in the league, and oh yeah, any future misstep and that running back is facing a lengthy suspension.

I can't think of a single one so secure in his job status.

 

[IndianaCowboys1994]

How many rings do Peterson and Tomlinson have?

Here is a list of HOF RBs with Rings:
Marcus Allen
Jerome Bettis
Tony Dorsett
Marshall Faulk
Franco Harris
Walter Payton
John Riggins
Emmitt Smith
Terrell Davis

It can be done. All of those guys had a ton of talent around them. AP and LT didn't. Also, there are currently 9 other RBs in Canton that didn't win a ring. About 50-50. Outside of LT and AP there aren't a lot of recent running backs getting into Canton...Frank Gore and maybe Lynch or McCoy but I doubt it.

 

[gjkoeppen]

A question for Cowboys fans. This is a question not related to the off the field issues. Is Zeke worth a new contract with over 1500 carries since college?

Personally I would love to have Zeke the next couple years but I personally would not mind letting him after that. At that point he would be coming close to the end of his prime. So why not explore trading him now while he has value?

I've heard a couple of former GM's that have said Elliott's off the field troubles could very well hurt him in having other teams bidding for him if he were to become a free agent. He's had troubles every off season and I would guess that those troubles would also bring down what teams would offer in a trade. Teams could be leery of just when the next shoe drops and he's suspended for 10 games or a year.
.

 

[CouchCoach]

Simply a terrible use of a 1st round draft pick.

Exacerbated by using him wrong. People said Crazy Al using a 1st on a P and a PK was a terrible use and both are HOF, or soon to be.

With the Cowboys, there seems to be this convoluted view of that 1st rounder. "What should we do with him" should be asked before they decide to pick him, not after.

If a team that truly believed in ST being 1/3 of it had picked him in the 1st, he could have easily paid off. And considering the % of 1st round busts, no assurance they wouldn't have done worse, like Charleton or Carver or even trade up for a player like LaFleur.

 

[Stash]

Exacerbated by using him wrong. People said Crazy Al using a 1st on a P and a PK was a terrible use and both are HOF, or soon to be.

With the Cowboys, there seems to be this convoluted view of that 1st rounder. "What should we do with him" should be asked before they decide to pick him, not after.

If a team that truly believed in ST being 1/3 of it had picked him in the 1st, he could have easily paid off. And considering the % of 1st round busts, no assurance they wouldn't have done worse, like Charleton or Carver or even trade up for a player like LaFleur.

Here's the thing, nobody was ever to "use him right". Not the Cowboys, not the rest of the NFL who showed no interest. I don't think an entire league was wrong, I just don't think the player was ever worth what the Cowboys paid.

 

[Silver N Blue]

Not again.
Alexa, how many days till training camp?
Showing prices for tanning lamps.
I give up

Right....

 

[PAPPYDOG]

A question for Cowboys fans. This is a question not related to the off the field issues. Is Zeke worth a new contract with over 1500 carries since college?

Personally I would love to have Zeke the next couple years but I personally would not mind letting him after that. At that point he would be coming close to the end of his prime. So why not explore trading him now while he has value?

lol...YES.....by all means trade him NOW! Remember how great our offense was when Zeke was out man I miss those 15 str8 Quarters of offense without 1 TD.........yes yes move the Zeke man asap!!!

 

[CouchCoach]

Here is a list of HOF RBs with Rings:
Marcus Allen
Jerome Bettis
Tony Dorsett
Marshall Faulk
Franco Harris
Walter Payton
John Riggins
Emmitt Smith
Terrell Davis

It can be done. All of those guys had a ton of talent around them. AP and LT didn't. Also, there are currently 9 other RBs in Canton that didn't win a ring. About 50-50. Outside of LT and AP there aren't a lot of recent running backs getting into Canton...Frank Gore and maybe Lynch or McCoy but I doubt it.

What was the last year an elite RB lead his team to the title? Those are all great backs but every one of them played in a different era where they all shared one common characteristic, they were valued more than any RB is today.

The game was different, the ratio of run to pass and they played before the owners changed the rules to make it all about the QB and WR.

IC, I do not believe it can be done with an elite RB without his counterbalance, a great D. Lynch could do it because of his D but the irony is that when they should have used him to win another ring, they chose the way of the NFL, the pass, and it cost them.