Should Cowboys have paid Zeke?

[Diehardblues]

It’s a reminder of how little attention Cowboys management was paying to the NFL landscape in the summer of 2019 when they honored Elliott’s holdout and made him the highest-paid back in the league.

The last thing any NFL team ever wants is the highest-paid back on its payroll, which is why Zeke has no trade value whatsoever. Nobody is looking to add a huge salary cap hit at the running back position for 2021 with a declining player who now can’t stop fumbling along with not being able to break runs of any consequence.

Yet here the Cowboys are because the Joneses got scared and were afraid of what might happen if they opened the 2019 season without Zeke.

The Cowboys are a franchise out of step, and now it’s running out of having anything on offense beyond some top-notch receivers and a running back whose history and contract far exceed his present value.

As time passed and Prescott developed and the Cowboys added Amari Cooper and then CeeDee Lamb, this became Dak’s offense. Elliott’s importance diminished on an almost weekly basis. He became a luxury item , a $90 million player with zero trade value.

 

[Future]

If you draft a player #4 overall, you have to give them a second contract unless they are a bust, so yes, they had to pay him.

The problem is drafting a RB at #4 overall.

 

[Diehardblues]

If you draft a player #4 overall, you have to give them a second contract unless they are a bust, so yes, they had to pay him.

The problem is drafting a RB at #4 overall.

But the effects must be noted.

 

[Ranching]

All ready did. Nothing to see here. That ship has sailed.

 

[Diehardblues]

All ready did. Nothing to see here. That ship has sailed.

But it’s important when analyzing how we have arrived where we are to point out the potential mistakes that brought us to this point.

 

[jsb357]

If you draft a player #4 overall, you have to give them a second contract unless they are a bust, so yes, they had to pay him.

The problem is drafting a RB at #4 overall.

HOWEVER, paying him early sets a BAD precedent

JS contact as well

 

[Future]

But the effects must be noted.

There haven't been any because of his contract.

 

[Diehardblues]

HOWEVER, paying him early sets a BAD precedent

JS contact as well

I think it’s a correct assessment in Jerry was scared to go into 2019 season without Zeke. Perhaps we should have stood firm .

 

[Future]

HOWEVER, paying him early sets a BAD precedent

JS contact as well

Only to fans.

He was their most important player at the time, they had no choice. But that's Jason Garrett's fault.

 

[Sydla]

No. I said it then and I will say it now.

And no, just because you took him 4th doesn't mean you have to sign him. That's simply following up one mistake - using the 4th pick on a TB - with another mistake. They should have let him hold out and been done with him.

You made a 4 year problem, now into a 6-7 year problem. Stupid.

 

[Diehardblues]

There haven't been any because of his contract.

Of course there has been. We had to let defensive starters walk .

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

If you draft a player #4 overall, you have to give them a second contract unless they are a bust, so yes, they had to pay him.

The problem is drafting a RB at #4 overall.

Actually the problem is two fold

1. drafting a RB at #4
2. Then doubling down by making him the highest paid RB

 

[jsb357]

But that's Jason Garrett's fault.

 

[Diehardblues]

No. I said it then and I will say it now.

And no, just because you took him 4th doesn't mean you have to sign him. That's simply following up one mistake - using the 4th pick on a TB - with another mistake. They should have let him hold out and been done with him.

You made a 4 year problem, now into a 6-7 year problem. Stupid.

Right. Let him hold out and see how it plays out. But Jerry was scared it could spoil the season and the effects on Dak. It’s a complicated situation. But one now we can look back on and second guess reflecting on the results before us now.

 

[Proof]

shouldn't have paid him, not what they did, or when they did. but it wasn't for the reasons you stated. Zeke looked to be an outlier. apparently he's not.

 

[Future]

Of course there has been. We had to let defensive starters walk .

No, they didn't. They could have re-signed Byron. They haven't lost anyone of consequence otherwise.

 

[cowboyblue22]

theyshould of never paid him they should of let him walk

 

[Future]

He developed an offense in which the running back was the most important player.

That was as stupid in 2017 as it is in 2020. It's why the Panthers, Vikings, and Giants are just as dumb.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Of course, the obvious answer is no. Jerry caved when #21 went to Cabo and held out.

Turns out #21 isn’t even the best RB on the team. Pollard is better.

Only way out of the Elliott contract in the short term is if Elliott screws up and does something stupid off the field voiding the guaranteed money and signing bonus. Party away, Elliott. One screw up away from a suspension.

Otherwise, stuck with #21 for another year or two.

 

[Diehardblues]

No, they didn't. They could have re-signed Byron. They haven't lost anyone of consequence otherwise.

But they didn’t which was largely blamed for signing Zeke and Coop. We also let Collins, Heath & Quinn walk. 4 starters on defense.