Getty Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during pregame warm-ups.
With Ezekiel Elliott, the Dallas Cowboys have one of the most productive backs in the NFL but the star is still the center of rumors and discussion.
That’s primarily due to Zeke being the highest-paid running back in the NFL. So while four 1,000-yard seasons in six years is a great part of Elliott’s resume, the RB pretty much has to be great in order to make the money worth it.
In the past couple of weeks, rumblings about Zeke’s contract with the Cowboys have come up. Dallas Morning News reporter Michael Gehlken stated that the team is expected to revisit his situation after this upcoming season.
Despite the chatter, the Cowboys RB appears unfazed. According to The Athletic reporter Jon Machota, Elliott was asked about his future with Dallas and the state of his contract.
“Ezekiel Elliott when asked how big this season is for his contract situation: ‘I mean, I control what I can control. I focus on what’s in the near future. I’m not really worried about what’s going to be going on after next season unless we’re going on to winning the Super Bowl.'” Machota Tweeted on June 2.
Besides Acho’s comments, one of the latest rumblings came from NFL Network host Rich Eisen as he called for the Cowboys to transition out of an offense with Elliott leading the way.
ALL the latest Dallas Cowboys news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Cowboys newsletter here!
Eisen the Latest to Speculate on Zeke’s Contract
Besides his salary, one of the reasons why Elliott’s performance is under this level of scrutiny is the presence of Tony Pollard. Since his arrival in Dallas in 2019, Pollard has been one of the best backup running backs in the NFL.
Per Pro Football Reference, Pollard averages 5.1 yards per carry, has totaled over 1600 rushing yards and has eight rushing scores to boot. Of course, he’s doing all of that on a rookie contract which further exacerbates the difference between his and Elliott’s situation.
That’s why Eisen is ready to see the Cowboys move on.
“They should give the touches to Pollard. Zeke is the guy that moves the pile. Zeke is the guy that steals your soul. Okay? Because he keeps coming at you. And going this whole business day. He likes to eat Okay, he’s the guy that can punch it in from the five yard line… Pollard’s the guy who can get it in from your own 35. So he’s got to touch the ball more,” Eisen said on The Rich Eisen Show.
Cowboys Handed Elliott the Cash
Even if Dallas wanted to move on from Zeke this season, the way his contract has been set up means the Cowboys would be on the hook for $30 million and change, per Spotrac.
His six-year, $90 million contract runs through 2026, with Elliott counting for $18.2 million in cap space in 2021. And while his cap hit and contractual flexibility will improve in 2022, moving Elliott through trade or release next season will still leave Dallas with a dead cap hit of $11.86 million.
It almost feels as if Zeke is entering a contract year, but instead of earning a new deal, he’s working toward keeping the same, high-money deal. Considering that Elliott is coming off a season with over 1000 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and he’s still being placed on the “hot seat” by media members,