Twitter: Zeke's exit may need to happen sooner than later

[Pantone282C]

Well that's kind of the point.. Even though he recovered in a few days we know the disease compromises the respiratory system. Guess what dictates how well you can condition? Yep.. the respiratory system. Zeke could have trained as hard as he always has and not achieved the same results because of it. And the scary part is that he would have had no way of knowing. He could have run until he puked, felt like he had a good workout but never knowing that he was not building that conditioning base he was accustomed to having. The disease also weakens those who contract it. Again.. he might have felt "a little sluggish" all offseason but without knowledge of what was going on with his body he probably chalked it up to not being able to train at the team facility and figured it would all come back to normal once he did. Obviously it's all speculation but to pretend it was just a two week disease and everything went back to 100% normal is a mistake .. I think we are seeing that with a lot of the guys who have gotten it during the season. Including the guys in the college ranks.. Some of whom have actually decided to shut it down for the season after not feeling completely right after..

Valid points. Covid weakens a person's system in various ways. And not the same way for every person. Major organs and organ systems are affected. It's a real crap shoot.

 

[Risen Star]

Here's the truth with Zeke. He's doesn't have his rookie burst but if the OL was right and the defense wasn't giving up 20 plus points in the first half like they've done most of this year then Zeke would be putting up numbers that would put him in the top 3 or 4 backs in the league.

 

[Pantone282C]

I think the world agrees that his head is not right.

Yup. He just is not there. Started out good last night, and then melted away.

 

[Pantone282C]

Well for one if I’m Moore and Mike when he taps his helmet I’m not letting him come off the field anymore!

Or back on it for a while.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Several Dallas area sports radio guys (Bob Sturm and Jake Kemp specifically) have been chatting quite a bit lately about the Cowboys cutting Zeke at the end of this season, and just taking the cap hit now. Before everyone screams “Can’t do it!”, look at the details of Zeke’s contract as lined out on Spotrac.com: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/ezekiel-elliott-18952/

I would argue that if this team’s is going to get better faster, we need to get rid of Zeke and his 3.8 ypc and 60 something yards a game, and draft a good young RB out of college with a mid round pick (and a rookie contract) to tandem with Pollard. Cut Zeke as a post June 1 cut, unless some other team is willing to trade for him (which won’t happen).

Here are the reasons:

• Keeping Zeke and the big contract is not the future. It’s the past. Sure it would give us some dead money to deal with but his signing was a mistake to begin with. Cut him at the end of the season and deal with the mistake instead of prolonging it. If this team is rebuilding, you have to suffer some to get better.
• His production continues to drop every year. Sure he hasn’t had a good line this year, but his per game yardage and per carry yards have continued to decline year after year.
  
• He’s lost his dynamic playmaking ability. He hasn’t had a run over 40 yards since his rookie year. Compare that to Derrick Henry who has had 9 runs over 40 yards since his rookie year. Two over 90 yards. Zeke may have taken too much punishment or had too big a load, but whatever the reason, he’s not that special anymore.

I know this will not be a popular opinion. And I know the dead money issue is real. But this team’s future is going to be all about drafting younger, cheaper talent, not keeping declining stars with big contracts. This team is not a player or two away from being relevant.

And for fans who think this would be stupid, I understand that argument. Maybe. But don’t worry. Because this front office won’t make bold moves like this because they are still buried in the delusion that “this roster is close” to being really good. No it isn’t. And won’t be until they recognize it needs a complete overhaul.

Mediocre results with these guys.
Let Zeke Follow Dak out the door in the off-season and start fresh.
Get rid of the cancer of this locker room they are going nowhere!!!!
Like Patti sings.....

 

[RonnieT24]

Is this really an issue 4 months after the fact, especially if he was staying in shape before he got Covid? Hell, he had about 2 1/2 months to work on his conditioning after recovering and before the season started, and another 1 1/2 months since then.

Yes but wasn't all or most of that done solo thanks to the quarantine? I mean you can Zoom all you want with a trainer but unless he's there with you to see how you're progressing, what you're struggling with there's no way of knowing how much benefit the work is getting you. And let's not forget this guy just turned 25 last summer. It's not like he's some grizzled veteran with a wealth of experience and knowledge about how to handle something like this. Like I said, if he is still struggling like this next year I would be prepared to move on.. but with all the different elements 2020 has provided it's worth waiting to see if he can regain his form with a "normal" offseason without a life threatening disease to contend with.

 

[Doc50]

Several Dallas area sports radio guys (Bob Sturm and Jake Kemp specifically) have been chatting quite a bit lately about the Cowboys cutting Zeke at the end of this season, and just taking the cap hit now. Before everyone screams “Can’t do it!”, look at the details of Zeke’s contract as lined out on Spotrac.com: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/ezekiel-elliott-18952/

I would argue that if this team’s is going to get better faster, we need to get rid of Zeke and his 3.8 ypc and 60 something yards a game, and draft a good young RB out of college with a mid round pick (and a rookie contract) to tandem with Pollard. Cut Zeke as a post June 1 cut, unless some other team is willing to trade for him (which won’t happen).

Here are the reasons:

• Keeping Zeke and the big contract is not the future. It’s the past. Sure it would give us some dead money to deal with but his signing was a mistake to begin with. Cut him at the end of the season and deal with the mistake instead of prolonging it. If this team is rebuilding, you have to suffer some to get better.
• His production continues to drop every year. Sure he hasn’t had a good line this year, but his per game yardage and per carry yards have continued to decline year after year.
  
• He’s lost his dynamic playmaking ability. He hasn’t had a run over 40 yards since his rookie year. Compare that to Derrick Henry who has had 9 runs over 40 yards since his rookie year. Two over 90 yards. Zeke may have taken too much punishment or had too big a load, but whatever the reason, he’s not that special anymore.

I know this will not be a popular opinion. And I know the dead money issue is real. But this team’s future is going to be all about drafting younger, cheaper talent, not keeping declining stars with big contracts. This team is not a player or two away from being relevant.

And for fans who think this would be stupid, I understand that argument. Maybe. But don’t worry. Because this front office won’t make bold moves like this because they are still buried in the delusion that “this roster is close” to being really good. No it isn’t. And won’t be until they recognize it needs a complete overhaul.

Agreed.

Feed me.

 

[RamziD]

More logical than cutting Zeke might be to shut him down for the rest of the season. Save the wear and tear on his body and allow him to further heal up from his battle with Covid.

Disagree. Cut your losses now. This has always been our problem. We never know how to move on.

 

[RonnieT24]

Disagree. Cut your losses now. This has always been our problem. We never know how to move on.

To each his own.. I know this franchise has turned quite a few guys loose over the last decade who have gone on to win Super Bowls with other teams. There is little or nothing to be gained from cutting this guy except watching him get picked up by a team that can actually block and watching them ride him to the deep playoff run we are so hungry for. This season is the ultimate Mulligan for a variety of reasons. I'm not dumping good players based off of all the weirdness this season has wrought. Fine if that's what you want.. I'm not going there.

 

[Sarge]

Rams did it with Gurley once they realized what they had done.

And Gurley was actually producing.

No he wasn’t.

 

[JonesBoys]

A typical Jerrah move. Draft the flashy running back at number 4 overall and then pay him the highest with two years remaining on his rookie deal. Is anyone wondering why the Cowboys haven’t sniffed a super bowl in a quarter of a century with Jones boys? One of the many gigantic mistakes Jerrah has made throughout the last 25 years.

 

[RonnieT24]

Here's the truth with Zeke. He's doesn't have his rookie burst but if the OL was right and the defense wasn't giving up 20 plus points in the first half like they've done most of this year then Zeke would be putting up numbers that would put him in the top 3 or 4 backs in the league.

Yeah even without Dak if they could open holes and the defense could keep them in games he might be able to bludgeon a defense into submission over the course of a game. As it stands he has not been able to do that.. Just not enough opportunities. The one drive when we DID finally just line up and play smashmouth we drove 50 yards all on the ground and then Moore gets cute with the double reverse that loses 12. I mean really? You had them on their heels and were pounding them up front. Why let them off the hook? I hate it when "geniuses" get bored with simple fundamental football and screw it up trying to show how smart they are.

 

[foofighters]

Several Dallas area sports radio guys (Bob Sturm and Jake Kemp specifically) have been chatting quite a bit lately about the Cowboys cutting Zeke at the end of this season, and just taking the cap hit now. Before everyone screams “Can’t do it!”, look at the details of Zeke’s contract as lined out on Spotrac.com: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/ezekiel-elliott-18952/

I would argue that if this team’s is going to get better faster, we need to get rid of Zeke and his 3.8 ypc and 60 something yards a game, and draft a good young RB out of college with a mid round pick (and a rookie contract) to tandem with Pollard. Cut Zeke as a post June 1 cut, unless some other team is willing to trade for him (which won’t happen).

Here are the reasons:

• Keeping Zeke and the big contract is not the future. It’s the past. Sure it would give us some dead money to deal with but his signing was a mistake to begin with. Cut him at the end of the season and deal with the mistake instead of prolonging it. If this team is rebuilding, you have to suffer some to get better.
• His production continues to drop every year. Sure he hasn’t had a good line this year, but his per game yardage and per carry yards have continued to decline year after year.
  
• He’s lost his dynamic playmaking ability. He hasn’t had a run over 40 yards since his rookie year. Compare that to Derrick Henry who has had 9 runs over 40 yards since his rookie year. Two over 90 yards. Zeke may have taken too much punishment or had too big a load, but whatever the reason, he’s not that special anymore.

I know this will not be a popular opinion. And I know the dead money issue is real. But this team’s future is going to be all about drafting younger, cheaper talent, not keeping declining stars with big contracts. This team is not a player or two away from being relevant.

And for fans who think this would be stupid, I understand that argument. Maybe. But don’t worry. Because this front office won’t make bold moves like this because they are still buried in the delusion that “this roster is close” to being really good. No it isn’t. And won’t be until they recognize it needs a complete overhaul.

Unfortunately, I agree. The kind of money he was paid, he should be carrying that offense right now.

 

[Diehardblues]

Several Dallas area sports radio guys (Bob Sturm and Jake Kemp specifically) have been chatting quite a bit lately about the Cowboys cutting Zeke at the end of this season, and just taking the cap hit now. Before everyone screams “Can’t do it!”, look at the details of Zeke’s contract as lined out on Spotrac.com: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/ezekiel-elliott-18952/

I would argue that if this team’s is going to get better faster, we need to get rid of Zeke and his 3.8 ypc and 60 something yards a game, and draft a good young RB out of college with a mid round pick (and a rookie contract) to tandem with Pollard. Cut Zeke as a post June 1 cut, unless some other team is willing to trade for him (which won’t happen).

Here are the reasons:

• Keeping Zeke and the big contract is not the future. It’s the past. Sure it would give us some dead money to deal with but his signing was a mistake to begin with. Cut him at the end of the season and deal with the mistake instead of prolonging it. If this team is rebuilding, you have to suffer some to get better.
• His production continues to drop every year. Sure he hasn’t had a good line this year, but his per game yardage and per carry yards have continued to decline year after year.
  
• He’s lost his dynamic playmaking ability. He hasn’t had a run over 40 yards since his rookie year. Compare that to Derrick Henry who has had 9 runs over 40 yards since his rookie year. Two over 90 yards. Zeke may have taken too much punishment or had too big a load, but whatever the reason, he’s not that special anymore.

I know this will not be a popular opinion. And I know the dead money issue is real. But this team’s future is going to be all about drafting younger, cheaper talent, not keeping declining stars with big contracts. This team is not a player or two away from being relevant.

And for fans who think this would be stupid, I understand that argument. Maybe. But don’t worry. Because this front office won’t make bold moves like this because they are still buried in the delusion that “this roster is close” to being really good. No it isn’t. And won’t be until they recognize it needs a complete overhaul.

So, do you let Dak and Cooper go too? And if not , why not ?

 

[pitt33]

I think one of the fundamental mistakes this FO consistently makes is it’s tendency to overvalue certain positions while undervaluing others.

pretty much it

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Think of it as the preseason we never had.

Exactly! MM is on house money this season anyway. So, we have an extended preseason with this record. Test everything out. See what all works and doesn't work this season. Screw the scoreboard other than to see what works and doesn't work. Who all can help us next season and who can't. We could be dangerous next season depending on how strategically we play the rest of this season.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Gurley really didn't produce much his last season with the Rams - only 57.1 yards per game and 3.8 yards per carry. Zeke is slightly better than that this year - not that anyone should be excited about that. Bottom line is both underperformed their contracts.

Gurley had knee issues vs MM simply isn't using Zeke in the traditional mode of 20-25 carries a game. But that's actually MM scheme if you look back at his Packer tenure. He's never had or needed a consistent 1000+ yard RB.

 

[Diehardblues]

Here's the truth with Zeke. He's doesn't have his rookie burst but if the OL was right and the defense wasn't giving up 20 plus points in the first half like they've done most of this year then Zeke would be putting up numbers that would put him in the top 3 or 4 backs in the league.

Yep

It’s really difficult to measure this year. Remember we were 1-3 with Dak and this #1 offense cause it was leading the league in turnovers leaving early big deficits which we had to abandon the run in most games.

Very odd year offensively. Not to mention basically losing entire OL. I dont think I’d cut loose just yet. Healthy this offense still has ability to carry this team. Need a couple pieces on defense and we can win this crap division. A total rebuild isn’t necessary.

 

[RonnieT24]

Yep

It’s really difficult to measure this year. Remember we were 1-3 with Dak and this #1 offense cause it was leading the league in turnovers leaving early big deficits which we had to abandon the run in most games.

Very odd year offensively. Not to mention basically losing entire OL. I dont think I’d cut loose just yet. Healthy this offense still has ability to carry this team. Need a couple pieces on defense and we can win this crap division. A total rebuild isn’t necessary.

I think this is a reasonable approach. I guess I'm just not capable of summoning the level of hatred for players on my own team as some are. I want every guy on the team to play at an all pro level. That's what I root for. The defense has lacked playmakers for a very long time. Diggs might just be showing himself to be one. I don't know when was the last time I saw a DB track the ball and run under it like a he did last night. That was gorgeous. We knew the kid was going to take some lumps being a rook but he's shown enough to keep me interested. I will say that given what the offense was doing against the Giants .. 3 straight 75 yard TD drives right before Dak got hurt, I really feel like we were about to turn a corner. Couple that with getting a few more guys back on defense and jettisoning a few underperformers and with Dak maybe the offense quits with the turnovers while the defense becomes at least middling and we might be looking at a 5-3 team right now. I think they clobber both Philthy and The Football Team with Dak at the helm.. and it's even money whether they muster enough offense to beat the Cards... Even if they lose that one I think we're 4-4 with a favorable draw down the stretch and a decent chance of 9-7 or 10-6 .. Hell as we have seen even 8-8 would win the division. I know there are those who don't want to make the playoffs at 8-8. I'm not one of them.. I always want to be in the tournament. You can't win it if you aint in it.

 

[MyFairLady]

Here's the truth with Zeke. He's doesn't have his rookie burst but if the OL was right and the defense wasn't giving up 20 plus points in the first half like they've done most of this year then Zeke would be putting up numbers that would put him in the top 3 or 4 backs in the league.

Yup if everything was just perfect so that anyone could do it then Zeke would be just fine.