Cowboys’ Stephen Jones Addresses Ezekiel Elliott Holdout; Other Hot-Button Issues

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The Dallas Cowboys held a “state of the team” press conference Friday afternoon to discuss running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was a no-show at training camp in Oxnard, CA. COO Stephen Jones, Owner Jerry Jones, and head coach Jason Garrett addressed the media.

All three confirmed that they will work on the deal in the background and won’t talk about this subject to the media and give daily updates. However, Stephen Jones did say they have been in contact with Elliott’s agents.

Stephen Jones said “the holdout wasn’t expected” but they “are prepared to address it.”

“Most players want all this to be done before the season starts… Jones said. “That’s a natural deadline.”

When asked if the value of a running back has anything to do with the negotiation, Jones said:

“Absolutely.”

Garrett said it isn’t a distraction:

“It’s a great opportunity for somebody else to show what they can do.”

He said last season that “they grew week after week… next man up.”

Garrett Contract

Jerry Jones side-stepped answering questions about Garrett’s performance. He used the sound of a drill to say, “I can’t hear you.” It caused the crowd to laugh as it was a brief tense moment.

He said his goal is to have Garrett be “the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for as long as i’m around to spell it.”

It seems like the Cowboys’ management is trying to present calmness as if these deals are inevitable. Nonetheless, the media will continue to cover this story and Heavy.com is all over it.

Elliott No-Show at Training Camp

NFL Network reporter Jane Slater reported that Elliott was a no-show on Twitter:

Ezekiel Elliott was not on site for the morning physical or conditioning run. I’m also told that while the #Cowboys can fine him it doesn’t necessarily mean they will. That’s at each team’s discretion.

Top-Paid Running Back?

Elliott wants to make more money than Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley’s four-year, $57.5M deal, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. Elliott is due $7.9 million this season.

GettyDallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.

In three seasons with the Cowboys, 24-year-old Elliott has rushed for over 4,000 yards (1,333 yards per season). He had 15 rushing touchdowns in his rookie season.

Under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Elliott should remain the focal point of the team’s offense this season. He’ll catch the ball out of the backfield and look to take advantage of a newly healthy offensive line.

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Other Contract Concerns

The Cowboys’ three star players Elliott, Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper are being considered for massive contract extensions as the team heads into the 2019 NFL season.

When asked if he expects the cowboys to get a deal done with Cooper, Stephen Jones said, “for sure.”

Jones said that the likelihood of Prescott’s deal getting done is looking good.

GettyDallas Cowboys Amari Cooper and Dak Prescott

Prescott and Cooper were both participants in training camp opening obligations. Prescott is still on his rookie contract. He is set to make $2 million in 2019.

Cooper is reportedly in no rush to lock down an extension. He will let the market settle itself out with the looming contract negotiations of Julio Jones, Michael Thomas, and Tyreek Hill.

The team could potentially have the highest-paid players at each of the three respective positions (quarterback, running back, and wide receiver).

Randy Gregory

Defensive end Randy Gregory is dealing with eligibility as an NFL player after being suspended indefinitely in February for a violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. He has since applied for reinstatement and is awaiting a decision from the league.

Jerry Jones said:

“It’s getting recognized by the decision makers that he’s doing things to really improve and be a productive player in the NFL. I think that will not go unnoticed.”

Jones elaborated:

“We all made about a C+ there with randy.” He said if they can get him right with the league, he has a bright future. There wasn’t an update on the timeline.

It looks like a matter of time for Gregory’s fate to be sealed.

PUP List

According to Garrett, the following players will start training camp on the PUP list: Tank Lawrence, Byron Jones, Tyrone Crawford and Noah Brown.


READ NEXT: No Ezekiel Elliott at Cowboys Training Camp; Contract Holdout Ensues [Report]

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