Category: Ezekiel Elliott

Cowboys’ Elliott among Black NFL stars in iconic video calling out league on police-brutality response

As George Floyd was laid to rest, several players decided to stand together, challenging the league’s actions over the last several years that stifled the player’s attempts to call for change. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, this video is on a billion.

As the nation has a level of awakening with racial-justice protests happening in all 50 states over the murder of George Floyd and the continued occurrences of police brutality, the NFL has understandably taken a lot of flak for their lack of support of peaceful protests over the last several years.

The league essentially blackballed former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick after he started taking a knee as a stance against brutality and racial profiling in 2016, leaving the player out of the league for the last several seasons despite having the talent to still be on an NFL roster. When the league released a statement about the murder of Floyd, several observers noted how it was in direct contrast to a lack of effort they could have been making as one of the pillars of the fabric of America. It seems many of their players felt similarly, including Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott.

Elliott was one of several stars who appeared in an iconic, powerful video released the day of Floyd’s public funeral, chastising the league for failing to acknowledge the danger, stress and struggle Black folks face on a regular basis. They instructed on the response they feel is warranted.

Featured in the video along with Elliott are Patrick Mahomes, Davante Adams, Jamal Adams, Saquon Barkley, Anthony Barr, Odell Beckham, Stephon Gilmore, DeAndre Hopkins, Eric Kendricks, Jarvis Landry, Marshon Lattimore, Tyrann Mathieu, Patrick Peterson, Sterling Shepard, Michael Thomas, Deshaun Watson and Chase Young.

The NFL’s original public response on May 30, five days after Floyd’s murder, was rightfully met with vitriol over the inaction the players crystalized in the video above.

The league has since released a series of subsequent tweets of support.

The Dallas Cowboys have still not released any semblance of a statement on the deaths or protests. When players around the league were joining Kaepernick in peaceful protest, taking a knee as a sign of respect to those whose freedoms were routinely trampled upon, team owner Jerry Jones made it very clear the club was not going to allow their players to do the same.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who received much criticism for his previous stance about kneeling for the anthem, has offered a different view than he had as recently as 2018.

Talking about kneeling during the anthem, Prescott echoed the team’s company line, indicating he did not think it appropriate.

“I never protest. I never protest during the anthem, and I don’t think that’s the time or the venue to do so. The game of football has always brought me such peace, and I think it does the same for a lot of people — a lot of people playing the game, a lot of people watching the game, a lot of people who have any impact of the game — so when you bring such controversy to the stadium, to the field, to the game it takes away. It takes away from that, it takes away from the joy and the love that football brings a lot of people.

“For me, I’m all about making a change and making a difference, and I think this whole kneeling and all of that was just about raising awareness and the fact that we’re still talking about social injustice years later, I think we’ve gotten to that point. I think we’ve proved, we know the social injustice, I’m up for taking the next step whatever the next step may be for action and not just kneeling. I’ve always believed standing up for what I believe in, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

Prescott, who is now embroiled in contract negotiations as a franchise tagged free agent with the Cowboys as the negotiation deadline draws near, recently came out with a different tone.

“I have the utmost respect for those of you with a passion for protecting and serving your communities. When you chose to wear the badge of a police officer, you pledged to PROTECT life and property through the enforcement of our laws and regulations. How can you claim to uphold the law when those within your own ranks don’t abide by it? You need to hold your own accountable! Each of you are as guilty as the men who stood beside Derek Chauvin if you do not stand up against the systemic racism plaguing our police forces nationwide. TAKE ACTION!”

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Vegas says Prescott, Elliott good bets to lead their positions in yards this season

Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are more expected to have big seasons.

Since entering the league together in 2016, the argument could certainly be made that no quarterback-running back duo has been as consistently productive as the Dallas Cowboys version of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.

Vegas odds makers, more specifically the ones at Caesars Palace, expect those trends to continue for the 2020 season. The casino recently released odds on which quarterback will lead the NFL in passing yards and which running back will lead the league in rushing yards, and Prescott and Elliott both came in at second in their respective positions.

Top 5 odds to lead the NFL in passing yards

Pat Mahomes +350
Dak Prescott +700
Jared Goff +900
Tom Brady +1000
Matt Ryan +1000

Top 5 odds to lead the NFL in rushing yards

Derrick Henry +300
Ezekiel Elliott +600
Nick Chubb +800
Saquon Barkley +1100
Josh Jacobs +1200

A +600 bet means for every $100 wagered, the bettor makes $600, plus they get their original $100 back.

Prescott was finally able to join his teammate atop the statistical league leaders in 2019, as he played some of his best football to date. He finished second in the league in passing yards (4,902) and fourth in passing touchdowns (30).

The Cowboys were able to re-sign WR Amari Cooper, who has thrived since teaming up with Prescott in 2018, and Blake Jarwin should provide a dynamic receiving option from the tight end position. The two are joined by WR Michael Gallup, who broke through in just his second season out of Colorado State, racking up 1,107 yards a season ago. Mix in the electric CeeDee Lamb, who surprisingly fell to the Cowboys in the draft at pick no. 17, and it’s easy to see the recipe for Prescott’s success again in 2020.

Elliott has been nothing short of dominant in his four years in the league. The three times he played full seasons led to two rushing titles in 2016 and 2018. To put that into perspective, The former Buckeye became only the 11th player since 1960 to win multiple rushing titles, and he accomplished this in only his third season.

Last year the Cowboys workhorse finished fourth in the race with 1,357 yards. Second-year running back Tony Pollard has undoubtedly earned more touches, and his change-of-pace ability should keep the defenses off balance as well help Elliott keep his legs fresh for the long haul. Another year of experience for OC Kellen Moore, combined with the Cowboys dangerous passing game, should create open lanes for Elliott and perhaps propel him to his third rushing title.

If Prescott and Elliott managed to lead their positions in yardage in would be an enormous feat, one that has only happened once since 1960, when Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James led in the respective categories in 2000 with the Colts.

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Cowboys shut out of PFFs top 25 under 25, but young talent plentiful

The Dallas Cowboys have the makings of an offensive juggernaut for years to come. If they are able to sign Dak Prescott to a long-term extension before things get too contentious, and that should happen as long as both sides keep negotiations just …

The Dallas Cowboys have the makings of an offensive juggernaut for years to come. If they are able to sign Dak Prescott to a long-term extension before things get too contentious, and that should happen as long as both sides keep negotiations just business and not too personal, the quarterback will have a vast array of weaponry at his disposal for the next several years.

Prescott will be 27 through the entirety of the 2020 season, and based on his progress over the first four years of his career, Dallas should have one of the league’s better QBs as long as the Cowboys can make keep happy financially satisfied. His posse is even younger than that, with the top six weapons all checking in under the age of 26. Three of the players are under the age of 25, which is the cutoff for Pro Football Focus’ annual look at the best young talent in the NFL. For the second consecutive year though, the Cowboys were shut out of the rankings.

This year’s omission is hardly as big of an insult as it was in 2019, when RB Ezekiel Elliott was left off the list after leading the NFL in rushing for the second time in three seasons. PFF’s metrics have no love for volume stats, like many in the analytical community. That misses Elliott’s workhorse value and dominance in other advanced metric calculations like value over average and yards above replacement.

Still, Elliott aged out as he’ll play the 2020 season at Age 26, along with two other young weapons, WR Amari Cooper and TE Blake Jarwin. Both players signed long-term deals with Dallas this past offseason, but both have easy outs for the club after the 2021 season.

The true youth movement happens behind them, however.

WR Michael Gallup, 24, ascended to elite-No. 2 receiver and potential No. 1 receiver in 2019, he just hasn’t been asked yet to shoulder the load on his own, but his numbers say that’s a distinct possibility. He more than doubled his yard production to 1,107 and tripled his touchdown receptions to six.

https://www.facebook.com/silverbluelive/videos/543551676445655

Tony Pollard, 23, figures to be a key weapon for Dallas moving forward and not just a backup for Elliott. His balance is surreal and he played a slot-receiving weapon option during his time at Memphis. Along with being the primary kick returner, Pollard should be an X-factor for Dallas for the next several seasons, with big-play ability and playing the matchup-nightmare role when all of the focus is on the bigger names.

One of those bigger names will be CeeDee Lamb, who will play his rookie season at the tender age of 21. Lamb is the most likely player to crack PFF’s list over the next several seasons as a potential alpha receiver in the league.

The Cowbys have an out with Cooper’s contract and Gallup’s ends after the 2021 season as well, but at least one of the two will be paired with Lamb for the next handful of seasons and all three will have at least two seasons together to wreak havoc on defensive backs across the league.

The collection of young talent in the Cowboys offense is augmented by still having a relatively young offensive line, with all projected starters under the age of 30 and signed for the foreseeable future.

So while PFF’s metrics ignore Dallas’ youth movement, the rest of the league certainly won’t be able to afford to.

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Don’t worry, Cowboys’ big-money contracts have easy-out clauses

Dallas doled out a lot of money the last two offseasons, delivered in lengthy deals. Here’s how they’ll manage any change of heart.

The Dallas Cowboys have handed out several large contracts over the last two offseasons. They will likely soon hand out another, whenever they agree to the length of quarterback Dak Prescott’s deal. Many wonder annually how a team can afford to sign so many big deals, thinking the money – or more specifically the cap space – will eventually run out.

It won’t, because the salary cap is set to explode and the team is in a great position to walk away from several deals should the player no longer live up to the money they were signed for.

Over the past two seasons, the Cowboys have agreed to terms of at least $10 million-per-season averages with five different players: DE DeMarcus Lawrence, LB Jaylon Smith, RB Ezekiel Elliott, RT La’el Collins and WR Amari Cooper. All of these deals have been for at least five seasons and there is always concern when signing a player that they will not be able to perform through the length of their deal.

Rest assured, the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys are prepared for that.

The primary thing to remember is that unlike the NBA and MLB, NFL contracts are not guaranteed. There’s a lot of window dressing attached to press announcements of new deals; years that essentially serve as team options. A player might sign a six-year deal, but if the guaranteed money runs out after the third year, then it’s a three-year deal with three one-year team options.

It’s very rare a deal is written in such a way that a player has guaranteed money tied into a fourth season, and it’s hard to recall any deal that had guarantees into the fifth season.

This is the reason why Prescott and the Cowboys haven’t been able to finalize his new deal. Prescott wants a short deal, made mostly of guaranteed money; the club wants a longer deal which will include team options at the current market price and not the price those years will cost once the cap explodes; more on that in a minute.

Let’s look at the big deals and how soon Dallas could conceivably cut ties with the player.

DE DeMarcus Lawrence, New Deal

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

5-yr, $105 million | $48M fully guaranteed | $65M total guaranteed

Escape Season: 2022

Lawrence received a $25 million signing bonus and a $4.6 million roster bonus in 2019, in addition to his $1.5 million base salary. His $16.9 million salary for 2020 was also guaranteed and as of the third day of this current league year (March 15), his 2021 salary of $17 million was guaranteed as well.

Lawrence will have two more years on his deal after that, base salaries of $19 million and $21 million in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

The Cowboys won’t have to pay those if they don’t want to, and can release Lawrence as early as the 2022 offseason if they feel he isn’t worth it.

Because of proration of that $25 million signing bonus that Lawrence received already, only $5 million hits the cap in each of the five seasons of his deal. There’d be $10 million remaining of cap hits ($5 million for 2022, $5 million for 2023) that the club would have to account for (not pay him, he already got the money). This is called dead money.

Dead Money Tutorial

Photo courtesy of Corona, used with permission

The term is dark, the reality is much different.

Dead money refers to amounts that take up cap space for a player even though the player is no longer on the team. It sounds dire, but when looked at from an overview it’s not as bad as it’s made out to be.

The cap goes up every year, and due to accounting magic, teams are able to pay their players market value, but not have to deal with the full impact of money they’ve given out.

If the Cowboys had to absorb Lawrence’s entire signing bonus the year they paid it, the $10 million they have to account for in the previous scenario would have been 5.3% of the 2019 cap.

If the cap is at $230 million in 2022, that $10 million will be just 4.3% of that year’s cap.

WR Amari Cooper, New Deal

Nov 17, 2019; Detroit, MI, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper (19). Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

5-yr, $100 million | $40M fully guaranteed | $60M total guaranteed

Escape Season: 2022

All of Cooper’s fully guaranteed money is tied into his first two seasons of the new deal ($10 million signing bonus, $10 million and $20 million base salaries), and his 2022 guarantees don’t trigger until a few days into the 2022 free agency period.

Coming in with the exact contract predicted here on Cowboys Wire, Cooper’s deal is a perfect marriage. The deal is escapable after just two seasons, so the team can theoretically choose between him and Michael Gallup, who will be a free agent in 2022. It’s one of the reasons why Dallas will likely look for a big receiver in the draft instead of just a slot guy.  There’s only $6 million of dead money remaining after 2021, and it can be split 33/66 over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Continue…

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The Collective: Cowboys take up 10% of NFL sales’ top spots, Elliott Top 5

Once again, the Cowboys reign supreme when it comes to popularity.

America’s Team indeed. No matter how many fanbases try to elevate their favorite team to the status, the efforts bear no fruit. Year after year, metric after metric, the Dallas Cowboys reign supreme, and the latest information from the sales department just confirms the undisputed title.

5 different Cowboys players landed inside the Top 50 sales list for the year-long period from March 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020.

If running backs don’t matter, no one has informed fans of the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott. As the only non-QB in the top five, the No. 4 overall pick from 2016 checks in at No. 4, after Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, GOAT Tom Brady and 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson. Behind Elliott comes two more signal callers, Baker Mayfield (?) and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.

The next-ranked running back is the Giants’ Saquon Barkley, one of New York’s two entries (QB Daniel Jones, No. 28).

The Cowboys’ own QB, Dak Prescott, checks in at No. 12 on the list, five spots ahead of the Eagles’ Carson Wentz. The other 2016 draft class quarterback, the Rams’ Jared Goff, didn’t appear on the list. Eagles TE Zack Ertz represents at No. 31. No Washington Redskins player made the list.

Also represented as current Cowboys players are linebacker Leighton Vander Esch (No. 24) and wideout Amari Cooper (No. 30).

Rounding out the Cowboys Five is a player who returned to the field for what appeared to be one final hurrah. TE Jason Witten came out of retirement and a year as a broadcaster to play for Jason Garrett one more season. Now, he’s moved on to a supporting role in the new Las Vegas Raiders, but he ranked No. 36 in sales for 2019 with Dallas.

Just in case he ends up in a Dallas uniform for next year’s report, Jets safety Jamal Adams checked in at No. 41.

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2016 NFL Redraft: Prescott goes where Elliott did, 3 Cowboys in Top 20

A redo of 2016 shows just how outstanding Dallas’ draft haul was that year.

The Dallas Cowboys had one of the better drafts in team history back in 2016. Their first and fourth-round picks (one of them) finished in the top two slots for rookie of the year that campaign. After redshirting his rookie season due to a gruesome injury, their second-round pick was good enough to earn a contract extension after his third year out of college. That same offseason the No. 4 pick earned the, at-the-time, biggest contract at his position in league history. The fourth-round pick has been hit with the franchise tag and is negotiating for one of the highest deals the NFL has ever seen. They also had a fifth-round pick they inked to a new deal this offseason.

It’s safe to say that Will McClay and the Cowboys’ scouting staff knocked that draft out the park. So much so, that when NFL.com did a redraft of 2016, not only did one of their selections make the top 5, three made the Top 20.

In the original draft, Dallas selected RB Ezekiel Elliott fourth overall, linebacker Jaylon Smith No. 35 and Dak Prescott No. 135 – using a compensatory pick earned by losing RT Jermey Parnell in free agency a year prior.

Elliott was a star bell cow out of Ohio State. Smith was on his way to a Top-7 pick status before shredding his knee in Notre Dame’s bowl game. Prescott was a QB afterthought, a dual-threat winner out of Dan Mullen’s Mississippi State program who was the eighth signal caller selected, but ended up edging out Elliott for rookie of the year.

In the redraft, Prescott went in Elliott’s place, No. 4 overall.

Funny how times change. As the 2020 draft approaches, three of the quarterbacks taken ahead of Prescott aren’t currently on a roster four years later.

Michael Silver: This one is painful for the Cowboys, who landed their quarterback of the future after trying — and failing — to get Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook and virtually every other passer in this draft. While Ezekiel Elliott would deliver in a big way as the fourth overall selection, and while DeForest Buckner would likely be the top player on their board, Jerry and Stephen Jones know the deal: With Tony Romo destined for another injury and immediate broadcasting excellence, his successor must be selected here.

Elliott found a landing spot in the redraft at No. 12, with the New Orleans Saints.

Mike: I don’t even want to think about the punishment Sean Payton could inflict on opposing defenses with this elite runner sharing a backfield with the great Drew Brees. Actually, I do want to daydream about it, the next time I go for a run (while maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between me and others on the jogging path).

Finally, Smith jumps way up in  a far cry from when Dallas was seen as the only team willing to take the roll of the dice on his knee and nerve issues when there was concern whether or not he’d ever play again. With hindsight being 20/20 – he went No. 20 to the New York Jets in this redraft.

Mike: Smith was being talked up as a top-three pick before suffering a devastating knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl that put his football future in question. The Cowboys took a risk by selecting him early in the second round, and it paid off in a big way. The Smith we saw in 2018 and ’19 would have provided a turbo-sized boost to the Jets’ defense.

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Christian McCaffrey surpasses Ezekiel Elliott as NFL’s highest-paid RB

As younger players receive their respective paydays, is Elliott set to become a cost-effective RB weapon in today’s league?

Currently in the midst of a massive roster overhaul, the Carolina Panthers reset the running back Monday,  committing to Christian McCaffrey through the 2025 season.

The four-year, $64 million extension makes him the game’s highest-paid RB, and provides a new lens through which to view Ezekiel Elliott’s own mega-deal with the Dallas Cowboys.

The six-year, $90 million contract signed by Elliot in 2019 barely lasted seven months as the most expensive RB deal in the league. While McCaffrey’s new contract details are still coming out, the $64 million represents entirely new money he’ll receive beginning in 2021, which just squeaks by Elliott in terms of AAV ($16M vs $15M per year). Also notable will be the guaranteed money involved, as “well over half” of McCaffrey’s extension is guaranteed. Elliott’s entire deal, original years and extension, contained $50 million in guaranteed money.

In a time where no position’s value is more scrutinized, the McCaffrey contract takes the plunge into unknown waters. His skills as a receiver (303 receptions over three seasons, 1,005 receiving yards and 4 TD receptions in 2019) undoubtedly alter the criteria by which McCaffrey’s contract will be judged going forward.

For players like Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry, this new contract should restore some optimism after David Johnson and Todd Gurley’s former teams each ate a substantial amount of dead money to remove them from their rosters.

As for Elliott, his holdout last year looks to have served him extremely well. The Cowboys are still attempting to navigate their salary cap situation, and while Elliott’s timing made things harder from the team’s perspective, that is the price Dallas pays for selecting him fourth overall and installing him as a major focal point of the offense. The merits of building a team that way, and how much of the offense should be dedicated to running the football continue to be debated, but the Cowboys are nonetheless locked in to this path for at least the next few seasons.

Luckily for Dallas, Elliott doesn’t seem to be cut from the same cloth, compared to either the running backs he entered the league with, or those who came after.

Set to enter his fifth season at age 25, no longer is Elliott the fresh face devouring league records and defining the position. He’s now forging a path as an anomaly, a throwback to the bell-cow backs of yesteryear as he enters what should be the prime of his career.

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Report: Cowboys’ Prescott, Elliott party despite ‘Safer at Home’ order

Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Dak Prescott and All-Pro Ezekiel Elliott attend a party despite quarantine restrictions.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has crippled the way people throughout the country go about their everyday lives. The NFL is no different as all offseason plans have been either postponed or adjusted do to the government mandating there not be groups together exceeding 10 people. Despite all of this, TMZ is reporting that Dallas Cowboy stars Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott attended a party with around 30 people on Friday night.

The party was said to be for a friend of Prescott’s that was held at his Proper, Texas home. Prosper PD told TMZ that they were unable to identify if an actual party was going on, but reminded the Cowboys signal-caller about CDC guidelines, which include social distancing.

It was also reported a sit-down dinner was held later on that evening at Prescott’s home with only a select few in attendance, closer to the mandated number of 10 or less.

This isn’t the first time Prescott has gotten heat for not practicing social distancing. Last week, a picture including himself and former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant surfaced after a workout the old teammates conducted.

The Dallas County “Safer at Home” order is in effect until April 30 instead of the May 20 extended date that was reported last week.

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Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarcus Lawrence doing part to support COVID-19 relief efforts

Two of the Cowboys’ biggest stars are stepping up with efforts aimed at helping the global fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting everyone on the planet. The vast majority of the populace is rendered fairly helpless, able to do little more to help the global cause than staying at home, washing their hands, and trying to stop the spread.

A select few are in a position to do more. Two of the Cowboys’ biggest stars are stepping up and using their piece of the celebrity spotlight to make a difference outside their homes. Running back Ezekiel Elliott and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence have both increased their efforts to help tackle this common opponent with campaigns shared on social media.

Elliott posted to Instagram on Thursday to announce an initiative to benefit the North Texas Food Bank. Elliott will be releasing new merchandise to fans, with 100% of the proceeds going to help feed locals in need during this uncertain time. It’s a perfect fit for the player whose “Feed Me” in-game pantomime has become a rallying cheer for Cowboys fans. Centre, a Metroplex retail company, will be matching whatever Elliott raises through the sales.

Lawrence took a hands-on approach with a family art project to personally show their appreciation for neighborhood first responders and healthcare workers.

Fans are invited to construct similar messages of gratitude in their front yards, windows, porches and home exteriors so that their local frontline heroes can see and feel the enormous impact they are making in their communities every day.

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Cowboys restructure Ezekiel Elliott, La’el Collins for minor space

Timing is everything, and sometimes it’s nothing at all. After adding Dak Prescott’s sizable one-year cap hit in the form of the franchise tag, and then inking Amari Cooper to a nine-figure deal, one might think the Dallas Cowboys were low on cap …

Timing is everything, and sometimes it’s nothing at all. After adding Dak Prescott’s sizable one-year cap hit in the form of the franchise tag, and then inking Amari Cooper to a nine-figure deal, one might think the Dallas Cowboys were low on cap space.

When word came down the club had restructured the deals of La’el Collins and Ezekiel Elliott, both just signed last year, all of the comments about having to do that in order to make the moves announced earlier ran rampant. They couldn’t be the furthest things from the truth.

Neither player was set to make a boatload of money in base salary in 2020, with each being under $7 million after receiving hefty sums in Year 1 of their deals.

Sure enough, the details came down from ESPN’s Todd Archer; there wasn’t much savings reaped. In fact, they didn’t save any cap space with Elliott’s restructure at all.

Elliott’s restructure could have something to do with the way his future guarantees are set, an agreement made when the contract was signed, or something completely different. Elliott signed a six-year extension for $90 million total last offseason. Collins signed a five-year deal for $50 million total.

Dallas entered the day with around $72 million in cap space under the $198.2 million salary limit for 2020. The Prescott franchise tag soaked up somewhere between $31.5 million and $33 million. If the club structured Cooper’s five-year deal like many other star contracts, his first-year hit is almost guaranteed to be below $10 million.

That left around $30 million in space, meaning the club is around $34 million in space now if they can’t work out a long-term agreement with Prescott.

The club is said to be pursuing Broncos FA CB Chris Harris as a replacement for Byron Jones, who signed with Miami earlier in the day, and is still trying to bring back DE Robert Quinn.

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