What if the Cowboys had waited? And another what if

[Bobhaze]

What if Jerry had the courage to stonewall Zeke in his holdout in the summer of 2019? (Like the Steelers wisely did with LaVeon Bell) What if Zeke would have been told they weren’t going to negotiate with him two years early? What if indeed...

In the summer of 2016, the Dallas Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott, the 4th pick of the 2016 NFL draft, to a 4 year contract with a 5th year extension option. After 3 very productive seasons (one partially interrupted by a suspension) the Cowboys announced in April 2019 that they would be exercising Zeke’s 5th year option. In fact they announced it before he started his 4th year.

Later in the summer of 2019, Zeke famously headed to Cabo to try and twist Jerry’s arm early in a training camp holdout. Not going into his last year of a contract. After three years. We all know Jerry caved like a cheap suit and made Zeke the highest paid RB in league history.

Fast forward to now. If Jerry hadn’t caved, and we had stayed the course, Zeke’s rookie deal 5th year would be expiring in a few months. Or he could have turned into LaVeon Bell and left. And It’s safe to say had we waited, these things might have happened:

• Zeke would either be receiving a significantly different contract for his future from Dallas, or perhaps even from somewhere besides Dallas.
• Without the albatross of the Zeke deal, our roster flexibility would be much rosier.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But paying RBs a king’s ransom in today’s NFL is just foolish. We should have known that before 2019. It’s why the only two other teams that made the same mistake by signing big RB deals with LaVeon Bell (the jets) and Todd Gurley (Rams) both got out of those fat contracts early and cut their losses.

And since Zeke signed his big deal, his performance has fallen off the table. Starting last year when we still had T-Fred and the rest or our once great line. Want evidence?

• Since 2019, Zeke is tied for 25th in the league with just five 20-yard runs in 25 games.
• Compare that to Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who both have eighteen 20 yard runs during that same 25 game stretch.
• Since 2018, he has dropped from 4.7 ypc to 4.5 in 2019 to 3.7 this year.

So here’s the real question Dallas radio sports man Bob Sturm recently posed:

“If Zeke is no longer breaking big plays — and there are very few cases of players actually getting more explosive with age and wear and tear — should the Cowboys seriously consider turning down his March 2021 activator and playing with $24 million in dead money (split into two seasons) to get out of another doubling-down of his contract in 2022?”​

Count me in on that plan. Maybe we could learn from our mistake and move on as the jets and Rams did.

 

[GMO415]

Bullet we're to old for what ifs. Shoot, what if I made $500k a year. I'd probably be stupid enough to own a suite in AT&T Stadium. How'd pissed I'd be then?

 

[ThatJerryKid]

What if Jerry had the courage to stonewall Zeke in his holdout in the summer of 2019? (Like the Steelers wisely did with LaVeon Bell) What if Zeke would have been told they weren’t going to negotiate with him two years early? What if indeed...

In the summer of 2016, the Dallas Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott, the 4th pick of the 2016 NFL draft, to a 4 year contract with a 5th year extension option. After 3 very productive seasons (one partially interrupted by a suspension) the Cowboys announced in April 2019 that they would be exercising Zeke’s 5th year option. In fact they announced it before he started his 4th year.

Later in the summer of 2019, Zeke famously headed to Cabo to try and twist Jerry’s arm early in a training camp holdout. Not going into his last year of a contract. After three years. We all know Jerry caved like a cheap suit and made Zeke the highest paid RB in league history.

Fast forward to now. If Jerry hadn’t caved, and we had stayed the course, Zeke’s rookie deal 5th year would be expiring in a few months. Or he could have turned into LaVeon Bell and left. And It’s safe to say had we waited, these things might have happened:

• Zeke would either be receiving a significantly different contract for his future from Dallas, or perhaps even from somewhere besides Dallas.
• Without the albatross of the Zeke deal, our roster flexibility would be much rosier.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But paying RBs a king’s ransom in today’s NFL is just foolish. We should have known that before 2019. It’s why the only two other teams that made the same mistake by signing big RB deals with LaVeon Bell (the jets) and Todd Gurley (Rams) both got out of those fat contracts early and cut their losses.

And since Zeke signed his big deal, his performance has fallen off the table. Starting last year when we still had T-Fred and the rest or our once great line. Want evidence?

• Since 2019, Zeke is tied for 25th in the league with just five 20-yard runs in 25 games.
• Compare that to Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who both have eighteen 20 yard runs during that same 25 game stretch.
• Since 2018, he has dropped from 4.7 ypc to 4.5 in 2019 to 3.7 this year.

So here’s the real question Dallas radio sports man Bob Sturm recently posed:

“If Zeke is no longer breaking big plays — and there are very few cases of players actually getting more explosive with age and wear and tear — should the Cowboys seriously consider turning down his March 2021 activator and playing with $24 million in dead money (split into two seasons) to get out of another doubling-down of his contract in 2022?”​

Count me in on that plan. Maybe we could learn from our mistake and move on as the jets and Rams did.

I can’t believe we paid Zeke and Jaylon and let Byron walk....

 

[fivetwos]

Yes, but heading into THAT season was the one when we would finally make that Super Bowl and make Jerry the center of attention for two whole weeks.

 

[fivetwos]

Bullet we're to old for what ifs. Shoot, what if I made $500k a year. I'd probably be stupid enough to own a suite in AT&T Stadium. How'd pissed I'd be then?

Youd be spending a bigger percentage of your income on that suite than you may think.

Yes...youd be upset in a few ways.

 

[buybuydandavis]

So here’s the real question Dallas radio sports man Bob Sturm recently posed:

“If Zeke is no longer breaking big plays — and there are very few cases of players actually getting more explosive with age and wear and tear — should the Cowboys seriously consider turning down his March 2021 activator and playing with $24 million in dead money (split into two seasons) to get out of another doubling-down of his contract in 2022?”​

Count me in on that plan. Maybe we could learn from our mistake and move on as the jets and Rams did.

Options
1) Guarantee Zeke's 2022 salary of 12,400,000 in March, 21 and we get him 2021-2022.
2) Don't, and let him walk.
3) Trade? (Sure, if the trade is better than 1 or 2.)

Ignoring magic trades, is 1 or 2 better?

Another way of asking it is, would you sign Zeke on a gtd 2 year contract of 12.4mil in March 2021?

Uh. I don't know. Maybe not.

Really. Without Zeke's history here, and he's just coming from the Ravens, would you sign him for 6.2mil/year gtd for 2 years?

You know, no way.

Maybe he'll look better through the rest of the year. But he's currently at 3.8ypc. That's just a RB you want to replace.

Pollard and Dowdle are 4.4 and 4.3. Not really an apples to apples comparison with Zeke, but Pollard at least has shown he can be useful, and I'd be fine with him as a bigger part in a rotation. I'd *rather* have him get more snaps now.

Zeke from the Ravens is not a deal I or many of you would have any interest in. He's just a declining grinder of a back. An old Frank Gore.

Spend a comp pick or two mid round and get some new blood.

I'm surprised. Looking at it from "well, we're really only paying for one year to get two" seemed like a no brainer to keep him.

But objectively, Zeke is not even worth half his salary a year. We should bite the bullet and move on. The one slight possibility of it happening is if Jerry can just chalk it up to a bad decision by Garrett. Otherwise, no one will take the hit for the bad decision.

 

[Diehardblues]

Jethro only plans year to year.

 

[Idgit]

Yet another hot topic where Idgit was right and most of the board wrong. Is anybody keeping track of all of these or is it just too painful for the rest of you?

Number one: you don’t pay RBs like special players at other positions. Number two: Zeke is no longer a special player even at RB. It sucks, but it’s true.

 

[Shinaoi]

Jerry is always too close to a Super Bowl in his mind to think long term.

 

[AbeBeta]

What if Jerry had the courage to stonewall Zeke in his holdout in the summer of 2019? (Like the Steelers wisely did with LaVeon Bell) What if Zeke would have been told they weren’t going to negotiate with him two years early? What if indeed...

In the summer of 2016, the Dallas Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott, the 4th pick of the 2016 NFL draft, to a 4 year contract with a 5th year extension option. After 3 very productive seasons (one partially interrupted by a suspension) the Cowboys announced in April 2019 that they would be exercising Zeke’s 5th year option. In fact they announced it before he started his 4th year.

Later in the summer of 2019, Zeke famously headed to Cabo to try and twist Jerry’s arm early in a training camp holdout. Not going into his last year of a contract. After three years. We all know Jerry caved like a cheap suit and made Zeke the highest paid RB in league history.

Fast forward to now. If Jerry hadn’t caved, and we had stayed the course, Zeke’s rookie deal 5th year would be expiring in a few months. Or he could have turned into LaVeon Bell and left. And It’s safe to say had we waited, these things might have happened:

• Zeke would either be receiving a significantly different contract for his future from Dallas, or perhaps even from somewhere besides Dallas.
• Without the albatross of the Zeke deal, our roster flexibility would be much rosier.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But paying RBs a king’s ransom in today’s NFL is just foolish. We should have known that before 2019. It’s why the only two other teams that made the same mistake by signing big RB deals with LaVeon Bell (the jets) and Todd Gurley (Rams) both got out of those fat contracts early and cut their losses.

And since Zeke signed his big deal, his performance has fallen off the table. Starting last year when we still had T-Fred and the rest or our once great line. Want evidence?

• Since 2019, Zeke is tied for 25th in the league with just five 20-yard runs in 25 games.
• Compare that to Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who both have eighteen 20 yard runs during that same 25 game stretch.
• Since 2018, he has dropped from 4.7 ypc to 4.5 in 2019 to 3.7 this year.

So here’s the real question Dallas radio sports man Bob Sturm recently posed:

“If Zeke is no longer breaking big plays — and there are very few cases of players actually getting more explosive with age and wear and tear — should the Cowboys seriously consider turning down his March 2021 activator and playing with $24 million in dead money (split into two seasons) to get out of another doubling-down of his contract in 2022?”​

Count me in on that plan. Maybe we could learn from our mistake and move on as the jets and Rams did.

You gonna put playing with the majority of the starting OL out and 4 different QBs on Zeke?

Do you watch football or are you just pissed because Zeke is getting with your ex?

 

[ghst187]

I can’t believe we paid Zeke and Jaylon and let Byron walk....

yeah that was epic dumb. I was a big zeke fan but not for giving him a second contract two years early. Terrible deal. I felt like the jaylon deal was an attempt to pressure or dis Dak. Was really awful move. Miles Jack meanwhile... lol.

 

[catiii]

What if Jerry had the courage to stonewall Zeke in his holdout in the summer of 2019? (Like the Steelers wisely did with LaVeon Bell) What if Zeke would have been told they weren’t going to negotiate with him two years early? What if indeed...

In the summer of 2016, the Dallas Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott, the 4th pick of the 2016 NFL draft, to a 4 year contract with a 5th year extension option. After 3 very productive seasons (one partially interrupted by a suspension) the Cowboys announced in April 2019 that they would be exercising Zeke’s 5th year option. In fact they announced it before he started his 4th year.

Later in the summer of 2019, Zeke famously headed to Cabo to try and twist Jerry’s arm early in a training camp holdout. Not going into his last year of a contract. After three years. We all know Jerry caved like a cheap suit and made Zeke the highest paid RB in league history.

Fast forward to now. If Jerry hadn’t caved, and we had stayed the course, Zeke’s rookie deal 5th year would be expiring in a few months. Or he could have turned into LaVeon Bell and left. And It’s safe to say had we waited, these things might have happened:

• Zeke would either be receiving a significantly different contract for his future from Dallas, or perhaps even from somewhere besides Dallas.
• Without the albatross of the Zeke deal, our roster flexibility would be much rosier.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But paying RBs a king’s ransom in today’s NFL is just foolish. We should have known that before 2019. It’s why the only two other teams that made the same mistake by signing big RB deals with LaVeon Bell (the jets) and Todd Gurley (Rams) both got out of those fat contracts early and cut their losses.

And since Zeke signed his big deal, his performance has fallen off the table. Starting last year when we still had T-Fred and the rest or our once great line. Want evidence?

• Since 2019, Zeke is tied for 25th in the league with just five 20-yard runs in 25 games.
• Compare that to Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who both have eighteen 20 yard runs during that same 25 game stretch.
• Since 2018, he has dropped from 4.7 ypc to 4.5 in 2019 to 3.7 this year.

So here’s the real question Dallas radio sports man Bob Sturm recently posed:

“If Zeke is no longer breaking big plays — and there are very few cases of players actually getting more explosive with age and wear and tear — should the Cowboys seriously consider turning down his March 2021 activator and playing with $24 million in dead money (split into two seasons) to get out of another doubling-down of his contract in 2022?”​

Count me in on that plan. Maybe we could learn from our mistake and move on as the jets and Rams did.

Most all of us knew it was a bad and stoopid plunger wager based on Jerry's ego. We'd be MUCH better off had we let him walk or come limping back to finish his rookie deal.

 

[FiveSuperBowls]

Jerry is always one move/player away for a Super Bowl, sign Zeke, that’s the ticket.

Fast forward today, If Boys win the NFC East, we have a chance for a Super Bowl run, so let’s get Aldon so signed now, that’s the ticket.

 

[cowboyec]

what if Dallas takes Fsu RB Dalvin Cook instead of Taco...stephen said Cook was the last player on their board with a 1st Rd grade.
maybe that hold-out never happens.

 

[CWR]

Yet another hot topic where Idgit was right and most of the board wrong. Is anybody keeping track of all of these or is it just too painful for the rest of you?

Number one: you don’t pay RBs like special players at other positions. Number two: Zeke is no longer a special player even at RB. It sucks, but it’s true.

You were still wrong about Garrett.

 

[TwoDeep3]

What if Jerry had the courage to stonewall Zeke in his holdout in the summer of 2019? (Like the Steelers wisely did with LaVeon Bell) What if Zeke would have been told they weren’t going to negotiate with him two years early? What if indeed...

In the summer of 2016, the Dallas Cowboys signed Ezekiel Elliott, the 4th pick of the 2016 NFL draft, to a 4 year contract with a 5th year extension option. After 3 very productive seasons (one partially interrupted by a suspension) the Cowboys announced in April 2019 that they would be exercising Zeke’s 5th year option. In fact they announced it before he started his 4th year.

Later in the summer of 2019, Zeke famously headed to Cabo to try and twist Jerry’s arm early in a training camp holdout. Not going into his last year of a contract. After three years. We all know Jerry caved like a cheap suit and made Zeke the highest paid RB in league history.

Fast forward to now. If Jerry hadn’t caved, and we had stayed the course, Zeke’s rookie deal 5th year would be expiring in a few months. Or he could have turned into LaVeon Bell and left. And It’s safe to say had we waited, these things might have happened:

• Zeke would either be receiving a significantly different contract for his future from Dallas, or perhaps even from somewhere besides Dallas.
• Without the albatross of the Zeke deal, our roster flexibility would be much rosier.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20. But paying RBs a king’s ransom in today’s NFL is just foolish. We should have known that before 2019. It’s why the only two other teams that made the same mistake by signing big RB deals with LaVeon Bell (the jets) and Todd Gurley (Rams) both got out of those fat contracts early and cut their losses.

And since Zeke signed his big deal, his performance has fallen off the table. Starting last year when we still had T-Fred and the rest or our once great line. Want evidence?

• Since 2019, Zeke is tied for 25th in the league with just five 20-yard runs in 25 games.
• Compare that to Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who both have eighteen 20 yard runs during that same 25 game stretch.
• Since 2018, he has dropped from 4.7 ypc to 4.5 in 2019 to 3.7 this year.

So here’s the real question Dallas radio sports man Bob Sturm recently posed:

“If Zeke is no longer breaking big plays — and there are very few cases of players actually getting more explosive with age and wear and tear — should the Cowboys seriously consider turning down his March 2021 activator and playing with $24 million in dead money (split into two seasons) to get out of another doubling-down of his contract in 2022?”​

Count me in on that plan. Maybe we could learn from our mistake and move on as the jets and Rams did.

What if Deion was flagged for the pass interference, Dallas scored and was down by three?

What if Jerry shut his ever-lovin mouth and allowed Jimmy to take the credit and Jimmy stayed?

What if jerry pulled his head out of his Colonoscopy port and drafted Randy Moss?

What if Jackie Smith caught it?

What if Dez caught it?

What if Dallas took T.J. Watt?

What if Dallas rebuilt the offensive line and Dak comes back with a vengeance as Dallas uses the 2021 draft to fix the defense?

 

[Idgit]

You were still wrong about Garrett.

No, I wasn’t. That’s dawning slowly on everybody, too.

 

[CWR]

No, I wasn’t. That’s dawning slowly on everybody, too.

What you are failing to grasp is just because MM doesn't appear to be a good hire does NOT mean Garrett wasn't a good fire. (Not re-signed)

He had more than enough time and couldn't get us over the top plain and simple. That has zero to do with MM.

 

[Idgit]

What you are failing to grasp is just because MM doesn't appear to be a good hire does NOT mean Garrett wasn't a good fire. (Not re-signed)

He had more than enough time and couldn't get us over the top plain and simple. That has zero to do with MM.

Actually, what you continue to fail to grasp is that the issue in Dallas hadn’t been at HC. We’re now seeing what happens when you pair an issue with the HC with the problems we already had in Dallas. Things get a lot worse, quickly.

Garrett did have plenty of time, and he wasn’t able to get us over the top, I agree. That’s because the actual problems keeping us from getting over the top weren’t related to coaching and were ultimately out of his control.

Which should be obvious to everybody at this point whose followed this team since Jimmy left. The McCarthy Era is just highlighting for us how much worse things can get when your problems start to compound on each other.

 

[Cowfan75]

Actually, what you continue to fail to grasp is that the issue in Dallas hadn’t been at HC. We’re now seeing what happens when you pair an issue with the HC with the problems we already had in Dallas. Things get a lot worse, quickly.

Garrett did have plenty of time, and he wasn’t able to get us over the top, I agree. That’s because the actual problems keeping us from getting over the top weren’t related to coaching and were ultimately out of his control.

Which should be obvious to everybody at this point whose followed this team since Jimmy left. The McCarthy Era is just highlighting for us how much worse things can get when your problems start to compound on each other.

Garrett cost us multiple games each season with his poor clock management alone, 9 out of his 10 years. We had other issues, yes, but Garrett simply couldn't make adjustments, and seemingly knew nothing about our opponents going into the games. Best I can say for him is that the team never quit on him most of the time, but the dude was a fraud as a HC.