News: PFT: Ezekiel Elliott has privately said that he's planning a training-camp holdout

[OmerV]

He is being underpaid.

I warned everyone about this.

Pay Zeke.

It's not a revelation that he's underpaid. Every successful player who is still under their rookie contract is underpaid.

 

[CouchCoach]

Holding out of camp in one thing, holding out to start the season, something else. If this has any truth to it, what's he going to miss at camp except there's a new OC but calling mostly the plays form the existing playbook and he's had 3 years of that? Reporting in shape is the key.

I do not blame the players, this is all about the Joneses and their mouths to the media about extending players and praising them after the season is over. How stupid is that? Based on their contribution and performance, aren't Byron Jones and Jaylon Smith over performing on their contracts?

The reason the draft is so important is to get players overperforming their contracts to even out the underperformers on 2nd contracts. It is not about paying a player what he's worth, it's about bargains.

Isn't Mahomes the poster child for the overperformer? They know he's probably got the biggest contract ever coming but at least they can get another year out of his rookie contract unless they think they can save some dough by doing it early. I don't know, 2nd year starting QB MVP of the league, how much of a deal do they think they can get? 35M is the starting point.

 

[DandyDon52]

He has a lot of leverage .

Dallas will take a holdout very serious .

It’s best to pay him. It doesn’t make sense to risk a holdout over it. He’s due the money.

No he isnt, he isnt due any raise till his current contract is totally up.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don’t know if he is really thinking this but I don’t think he would miss a game not sure if he can afford to miss much of TC and preseason especially with whatever is going on in Vegas. If I’m the Cowboys I say ok go for it we will start the fines on day 1. I see no point in paying him now. The rookie deal works both ways right now I’d say Taco is over paid and EE is under paid but they will get what they deserve when the rookie deals are over. Any of y’all saying pay the man must be EE fans and not Cowboys fans because paying him would take away cap they are using for other players I always want what is best for the Cowboys not the players.

It would be a terrible idea, if you are Elliott IMO. Elliott isn't famous for starting out fast. He sits out and he may not be in top shape until mid season. Whatever........

 

[DandyDon52]

It's not a revelation that he's underpaid. Every successful player who is still under their rookie contract is underpaid.

exactly, but E is the least underpaid of them all, he got one of the best Rookie deals out of all the players drafted that year.
he has made 4 or 5 times as much as dak.

 

[Reid1boys]

Elite running backs are more trouble then they are worth. Gurley's contract is a dumpster fire. Bell? Yuck on that guy. By my watch Lynch and Lewis are the only elite backs to win a SB in the last 20 years. That position yields, by far, the worst value of second contracts in the league. The biggest issue in Dallas is that the HC and Donkey Owner could not deliver a SB during Dak and Zeke's rookie contracts. Zeke is potentially going to be a big problem.

so how many other coaches deliver a SB in their QBs rookie contract?

 

[glimmerman]

He can do his TC at home.. lol. He won’t play in the preseason anyways. Whatever he does he better come in shape and as good or better. If he holds out games in his 4th season still under contract then I don’t agree. He signed the deal. If they are in negotiations I wonder what our opening offer was. Maybe 12-14 million.

 

[Future]

EE is no E.Smith, and you cant compare now to 1993 , things were vastly different back then.

You're right. Emmitt could negotiate a contract after he was drafted that didn't undersell his value.

 

[Future]

I think part of the reason, is so owners dont have to or get stuck with overpaying draft busts, especially 1st round picks.
These guys used to get big contracts from the start and if they were a bust, then owners were stuck with that.

This way they get to try a player out, but to me the rookie contracts should only be for 2 years, because many play for peanuts for too long.
Elliot is not one of those, being a # 3 pick, he has been well paid for a rookie, one of the highest paid rookies in the nfl from that draft year.

Well yea. That's why I said before that owners and veteran players both want it.

He might be well-paid for a roookie, but that doesn't matter. He is poorly played for someone who is the best at his position. He shouldn't be making half of what Gurley does.

 

[coult44]

He’s making 3.8 mil this season.

He’s an elite RB with two rushing titles.

His market value is at least 10-15 mil per year.

What “elite” RB’s win super bowls now days?

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Doesn't anyone remember those 6 games that Zeke was out?

Pay the man!

 

[Bullflop]

I hope Zeke changes his mind about that but I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

Zeke wouldn't be logging much actual playing time in preseason anyhow.

But the loss of practice time may be the most damaging to his readiness.

 

[Tooter_Magee]

What “elite” RB’s win super bowls now days?

The answer is none. Gurley was the most recent "elite" to even make a SB. It's better to spend that money on O-line and defense than on a position with a 4 or 5 year peak window.

 

[cowboyblue22]

you don't see many elite running backs in the superbowl any more zeke has won two rushing titles and neither time they got past the wild card round in the playoffs if he holds out during the season I guess we will see how good dak and his coaches are you don't need a elite running back to win a championship but u need a really good qb and a really good defense

 

[cern]

The gurley gaffe is not our problem. Caveat emptor.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

At this point, it's just a rumor. But it's worth asking that if Zeke were a Patriot and held out, would Belichick trade him and move on?

Between not knowing when he's going to get himself suspended again or holding out years before his contract is up, this kind of stuff puts the team's success in jeopardy. You don't commit $15M+ per year to a RB who poses that kind of risk, regardless of how good they are.

Belichick would have already prepared his offense around Zeke’s replacement. Are you winning 11 games if Pollard carries the ball 400 times?

 

[Whyjerry]

so how many other coaches deliver a SB in their QBs rookie contract?

Take off your Jason Garrett jersey and listen. Anything before 1995 does not count, ok? By my estimation Cowher, Coughlan, and Pete Carroll all did it. Belichick might have done it with Brady in 2004 but I am too lazy to check if Brady was still under a rookie contract. So yes coaches do take advantage of that rookie contract.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

What “elite” RB’s win super bowls now days?

All since the inception of the salary cap:
Terrelle Davis did it back to back.
Marshawn Lynch almost won two if not for running the ball at the two yard line (neglecting an elite back lost them a super bowl, opposite of your point.)
Ray Rice after going for 7500 yards(!) from scrimmage in 4 seasons
Corey Dillon in a 1600 yard season
Jerome Bettis, And then later Willie Parker after a streak of 1200+1400+1300 rushing yard seasons
Shaun Alexander would have if not for the worst reffed 4th quarter in Super Bowl history
Marshall Faulk in ‘99 and nearly again in ‘01
Jamal Lewis in the beginning of his tear to gain 10,000 yards in 9 seasons


The concept that a team with a franchise or highly paid RB can’t win the Super Bowl in this era is straight looney tunes. The exact opposite is proven time and time again.

 

[TwoDeep3]

From a business point of view Elliott has the hammer.

With so many players on a list of re-up or walk after this season, the window for this team is now. Did Jerry learn anything by the Emmitt hold out?

And all those people who say running backs are a dime a dozen, will see the truth is this story is factual, comes to fruition, and Jerry tries playing hardball.

This team is built for a strong running game. While there are those that feel the drafted RB will be fine. Most who hold these positions don't see the generational player Zeke is.

Personally I think this article with it's "RUMOR" is a bucket of horse urine.

 

[visionary]

It’s a good thing we have an elite QB who can overcome a missing RB

People on CZ have also told us repeatedly that a running game has no correlation with winning and that’s what we’re tryjng to do

So, I’m not worried