It’s a done deal for the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott. At long last, America’s Team has ended America’s biggest ongoing football saga by inking a brand new extension with the star running back. 
Elliott’s new deal will give him $90MM over the course of a six-year add-on. The deal includes a whopping $50MM in guarantees, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News (on Twitter) hears, though it’s unclear how much is fully guaranteed at signing.
More importantly, perhaps, the deal will bring an end to his 40-day holdout. With that, Elliott will take the field on Sunday against the Giants for the club’s 2019 season opener.
It remains to be seen how Elliott will adjust to the quick turnaround, as well as the plays of new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. On the plus side, Moore’s offensive game plan is not believed to be a radical departure from the playbook of last year. Also, head coach Jason Garrett seems to think that Elliott will be able to pick up where he left off.
“Zeke is as capable as anybody I know,” Garrett said. “He’s an experienced player, he’s been a really good player for us, he knows our system of football. I don’t think they’ll be a lot of learning there. He’s a smart guy, an instinctive guy.”
In theory, the new deal ties Elliott to the Cowboys for the next eight seasons, though the exact breakdown of the deal may reveal that it’s something more akin to a four or five-year commitment for Dallas. Either way – it’s a lengthy add-on with enough cash to satisfy Zeke.
Here’s what we do know: Elliott’s “new money,” on average, gives him $15MM per season. That’s enough to match the league-high AAV for running backs, a mantle that used to belong solely to Rams star Todd Gurley.
Next up for the Cowboys – new deals for quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper. If they ink both players to long-term deals, they’ll likely have Top 5 AAVs at the QB, RB, and WR position.
Its called trend setting. Dont have to report to camp or participate and you still get to show up for the award ceremony. 15 million to play football. I say Zeke won the battle. Lets see if the Cowboys are as advertised
RB under contract through age 32… what could go wrong?
Is he an Emmitt Smith or Adrian Peterson? Or the hundreds of backs that couldn’t do it for a decade?
He’s only guaranteed $45 so he won’t see the last 3 years of his contract as they will undoubtedly cut him and save.
Dak looks like a backup
Dak has 67 TD’s and 25 INT’s and a 32-16 Career Record. I think he’s more than a backup
Dak is league average at best. Honestly, on another team, he would probably be well below average. That offensive line is elite. In a few years, this team will be in shambles. 4 offensive linemen making 10+, zeke at 15, whatever dak and cooper get…the cuts will be deep when that salary cap bill comes due
Wrong fox. Dak is hardly an “average” QB. He’s averaged about 11 wins per season over his 3 seasons. Prescott had one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL HISTORY. The o line was merely average last year with Fredrick out all year, and with a struggling rookie guard. The WR corps was a joke before Cooper came in mid-season. Yet Prescott got them into the second round of the playoffs.
Dallas has the second most cap room in the NFL this year. And the cap is rising quickly in the NFL. Tyron Smith has very little dead money in his deal, which is why, with his back problems, they re-signed Collins. Idiots like Pete Priscoe at CBS spout nonsense that anyone can run behind that o-line, yet the Cowboys have only ONE 100 yard rusher in the last FIVE years not named Elliott.
Alfred Morris, ONE game.
Dak certianly isnt a backup, but he’s only average for his position. the odd man out as far as those needing extentions goes IMO.
Dallas really screwed up not drafting a QB that fell this year. Extending Dak will only set them back.
What QB in the second round or lower was so compelling?
Must be a Philly fan!
Idiot
you’d be surpised how many people here respect him more then this. That being said, dont think anyonr considers him more then an average starter…which is true.
And once again, Jerreh folds like a cheap suit and pays through the teeth. I can’t wait until Dak gets a ridiculous contract.
Lot of publicity that’s for sure.
Why are people mad Jerry is extending arguably the best RB in the league? It’s not directly your money. Don’t like it? Dont buy gear or tickets.
Who’s mad? People are just commenting on how much it is and for how long. It’s a lot of money, especially considering how many extensions the Cowboys have handed out and still need to hand out, all for a team that will most like not be a serious Super Bowl contender.
And it was all to avoid practice and pre season games.
Riiiiight.
Do you social media? If I wasn’t lazy I’d go count all of the comments talking about how “in a few years” they’re going to be horrible. What holes make it impossible for them to compete for a super bowl? Dak being a backup? Everyone hating how mediocre the Clapper is?
I actually try to avoid sports social media commentary because of what you’re describing.
And now the rest of the world can get on to their lives.
You stopped living your life waiting on Zeke to sign?
Cowboy fan you know
Listen Jerry made the right decision by signing Zeke for that long and that much… on the other hand I would not sign Dak for that much or that long yeah okay maybe he’s had a good career so far but he really hasn’t shown a whole whole lot of upside
They will franchise tag Dak as it will be cheaper than giving him the 30-35mm he wants per year.
So Zeke flys in from Cabo, signs his huge contract after missing workouts, preseason games, team meetings and is announced to play in 5 days. Does nobody else see this as a train wreck in the making? Nothing against Elliott or the cowboys but this just sounds like a stupid move. Give him a week or two minimum to get into football shape. I’m not thinking he was spending all that time in Cabo practicing.
very possible he was doing more training then these other starters, who arent allowed within 10 feet of a tackle in training camp now.
His load won’t be as big as normal for a few weeks. It will still be more productive than any of the other backs they have.
probably the most deserving of the skill players. Amari is good and all, but Zeke is the league’s best RB, hands down.
I’m going with Barkley, who runs behind a poor line. But Elliott is top five for sure.
Now he has plenty of money for lawyers.
Two years down the road he will want to renegotiate his contract. And saying he is the best hands down? He is one of the best at this point but no running back is that much of a game changer the way the game is today.
He will wind up hurt the first or second game because of conditioning. I don’t care f he has been “ in training” or not. He will be done for the year and then over the summer beat on someone and be suspended. Thugs don’t change, especially young ones with a lot of cash.
If I’m not mistaken the Cowboys had 2 more years of control plus 2 franchise tags at their disposal correct? Meaning Zeke could have been forced to either play in Dallas for the next 4 years or sit in Dallas for the next 4 years? Not sure how on earth 21 held the cards in this situation but what’s done is done. Jerry better be right.