Pay cut Cowboys will ask Zeke to take will be massive

[rambo2]

Not only should they cut Zeke, they should let Pollard walk as well because the running back draft is outstanding. The best in many years. The Cowboys need to take advantage and use the money saved to sign or trade for a receiver and to sign Payne at defensive tackle.

 

[Bullflop]

Business is business. If the Cowboys' FO decides to part ways with any player, they shouldn't hesitate, if a final offer demands it. We're about to see for sure if they have the conviction for doing what's best for the team. It shouldn't matter if the decision is a difficult one. It's high time for Jerry to prove he's more of a GM than a fan.

 

[McKDaddy]

Those hits take their toll.
They're cumulative.

Yeah but that one was the awkward type. I mean the change in his play was like night & day.

I believe at some point post career he'll confirm.

 

[JW82]

Time to hang them up Zeke. It was a nice career.

 

[john van brocklin]

Yeah but that one was the awkward type. I mean the change in his play was like night & day.

I believe at some point post career he'll confirm.

Oh, I was not disagreeing my friend.
Obviously, some hits do more damage than others.

 

[McKDaddy]

Oh, I was not disagreeing my friend.
Obviously, some hits do more damage than others.

All good. I didn't take it as disagreement.

 

[gimmesix]

3 mil a year sounds good, as in total per year not in cut.

That would be hard to pull off because of his prorated bonuses.

He's on the cap for $5.8 million in bonuses this year and $4.3 million next year. What they are going to want to do is severely reduce the nonguaranteed base pay, which would make it cheaper to keep him than cut him.

To cut him would cost us $11.8 million. To get under that, he'd have to shave at least $5 million off his $10.9 million base, but that just gets him barely under. To make it worthwhile to keep him capwise, he probably needs to go down to a $3 million base or less, especially since we can split his dead hit over two seasons.

 

[lukin2006]

I have not read this whole post, but there has been talk about this team needs a fullback? That's him.

I have no idea if he goes or stays, but IMO only...would wish he could take a drastic pay cut to stay with the team that he has helped build as of now, but with full back money, not runner money.

He's a knuckle head at times, but from what I hear he is a good guy in the locker room. That continuity stuff, he knows all the plays and his teammates. Then in the draft get some young guns to run around and have some fun with Pollard. Let the fullback clean up the mess. He is still a big muther(shut your mouth).

He’s not a fullback . Zeke is washed up…and a progress stopper.

 

[gimmesix]

No matter what pay cut Zeke agrees to, Dallas owes 11M to the cap. That 11M dead cap doesn't go away because Zeke agrees to it, just the 5 million beyond that. That 11 million has already been paid to him, and he's not giving it back. We're paying that cap hit one way or another.

Right. I think the question is would the team rather keep Elliott at a $9 million or $10 million cap hit or cut him and pay nearly $12 million in dead cap. Factors that have to be considered is that they can split that dead cap hit over two seasons if they want and it clears him completely off the books. If they restructure, they'll still have to pay a dead cap hit of $6.4 million if they cut him the next year.

 

[john van brocklin]

All good. I didn't take it as disagreement.

Outstanding!

 

[gimmesix]

My guess is a 3 year restructure, 4, 4, 3. With the final year being a void year.

If you're talking his base pay, that could be right. Overall, they still have to account for his bonuses. So this year that would total a $9.8 million cap hit. Then, $8.3 million the next year and $4.7 the third year.

Some may think that's too much, but can't really avoid that because of the prorated portions of his bonuses. Even if they drop him to the league minimum, we're still talking more than $6 million this year, more than $5 million next year and nearly $3 million in 2025. But we're paying most of that no matter what because of the dead money.

 

[jwitten82]

Pollard is not pretty decent. You weren't watching. LOL

He actually was, if you think he was bad then you weren't watching

 

[gimmesix]

Zeke was doing that even in his beast mode days ... the coaches cater and baby him to where he became set in his ways .. tapping his head out of games even near
red zone area.

That's on Garrett . Ironically Garrett s also the reason why we saw a rapid decline at only age 26 to 28... Red just pounded and beat him down to the ground ...

So when Pollard taps out, is he also being babied? I like that the coaches allow the players to acknowledge when they need to be taken out of the game for a few plays to catch their breath. Better than just trying to power through when you're sucking wind, especially when we have another capable back.

 

[gimmesix]

Love the meltdowns. Will there be more, or enjoyment from the anti crowd.

If Zeke stays or goes, I will support whatever they do.
I just hope if he goes, they are not dumb enough to rely upon Pollard being the #1 RB coming off a broken leg.

I think even if we keep Zeke, we need to draft a back by the fourth round. Despite what some seem to think of Elliott, he and Pollard were a very good combination for most of the season, then the wheels came off the last four games of the regular season. It's very possible that Elliott can't make it a full season anymore, but can contribute as a second back. But we need to be prepared in case he can't do that and in case Pollard is slow to return. Plus, we need to be prepared the following season to replace one or both.

I'm not really against or for keeping him because I think there are good arguments on both sides. I'm just absolutely for drafting another back. Keeping Zeke means that if we don't take one in the first round (which I'd rather not), we have some protection if the drafted back fails. In fact, if we don't keep Zeke, I'd almost favor drafting two backs to take an extra stab at finding a keeper. I like Malik Davis, but I can't really say at this point what he's going to turn out to be.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I THINK POLLARD IS GOOD but is he 10 million better than 2 fresh hungry rookies who could do the job

Yes. He is a legit pro bowl worthy RB. Didn't he lead the league in ypc?

 

[rambo2]

Yes. He is a legit pro bowl worthy RB. Didn't he lead the league in ypc?

Rookies can lead in ypc at one tenth of the price.

 

[Pass2Run]

He should be a league minimum.

Or cut, preferably cut.

The best thing for thr team is to cut him

 

[Pass2Run]

It's time to move on from Zeke, he's WASHED. Why does this stupid owner love hanging on to players too long????

That's how Emmitt got the leading rushing record.

It wasn't because Emmitt was just so darn great. Although many older fans will undoubtedly claim that . . . It's really because he played so long and Jerry never let go.

I remember this well. The Cowboys weren't very good at the point Emmitt got the record. But it was great for selling tickets. The game Emmitt got the record, I had roommates and they were up the night before the game making a huge sign to hang from their seats about Emmitt's record.

After his record, during the celebration, the game stopped and they had a celebration, and the camera pans around the stadium and eventually you see my goofy roommates' sign that says several different messages like "Thanks Emmitt from the Casas family."

Still friends with those guys to this day, but we still argue whether Emmitt was any good at that point in his career..

And the absolute truth was he was way below average and hurting the team. Fans just didn't want to let go because he had played in so many Super Bowls.

 

[Silly]

but can contribute as a second back.

Maybe he can contribute a few first downs, but I think Dallas needs a home run hitter on the field. Zeke is never going to take it to the house.

 

[Cowboys1966]

Taking Gibbs is even better.

I can get behind that. A trade back though.