Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott Considering Holdout?

[pwaldo]

https://www.profootballrumors.com/20...-a-possibility

Todd Gurley‘s record-setting running back deal affected Le’Veon Bell‘s decision-making in Pittsburgh this year, and it may play a role in how Ezekiel Elliott proceeds in 2019.

The Cowboys’ All-Pro running back has one year remaining on his contract, but with the team having an easy fifth-year option decision coming, Elliott may be in a tough spot. Dallas has a host of extension-eligible players, five of whom — DeMarcus Lawrence, Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper and Byron Jones and Jaylon Smith— either a franchise tag candidate or entering a contract year. Elliott having two years of team control left may move him to the back of the re-up queue, despite Dallas brass’ goal of signing him long-term.

An Elliott holdout will be a risk, sources told Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the longer this drags on this offseason. With the Cowboys having no incentive to pay Elliott now, there may be more noise on this front as the offseason unfolds.

Elliott, 23, is due $3.58MM in 2019. His fifth-year option would come in north of $10MM in 2020. But Gurley’s four-year, $57.5MM deal altered the market. With Elliott winning rushing titles in both of the seasons in which he was a full Cowboys participant, the leverage he will have is removing himself from an offense dependent on his talents.

[Jameis1of1]

I could see Zeke holding out for sure, especially considering he could suffer a career-ending injury in 2019, so he might as well sign his next contract and get the largest amount of up-front cash as possible since RB's have notoriously short NFL careers.

[jplcom]

I could see <<any running back>> holding out for sure, especially considering he could suffer a career-ending injury in <<any year>>, so he might as well sign his next contract and get the largest amount of up-front cash as possible since RB's have notoriously short NFL careers.

Fill in the blanks and insert any RB there. Bell started the trend and he certainly won't be the last. I think the player's should work hard to press their union leadership to eliminate "the Elway rule" aka franchise player tag during the next CBA and instead allow teams to offer, offer, a "Franchise contract" which is x-percentage higher than the highest contract at that position. The difference in money between those two contracts is not counted towards the cap unless the player is cut.

[pwaldo]

While I could see any RB holding out EE has the Cowboys by the you know what. If he doesn't play Dak isn't going to do squat and the team that can win the division could be a pretty horrid team. Most other teams could just replace the RB and wouldn't see that noticeable drop off in winning but I think the Cowboys would hurt big time if he held out.

[Jameis1of1]

^ I agree with both of you guys for the most part, and with pwaldo 100%.