Zeke on $90M extension: ‘I consider I am the perfect’

FRISCO, Texas — Ezekiel Elliott admits it was vital to him to be the very best paid operating again within the NFL.

“As a result of I consider I am the perfect,” the Dallas Cowboys star stated Wednesday, not lengthy after his first observe since signing a six-year, $90 million extension that features $50 million assured, in keeping with sources.

Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams was the very best paid operating again with $45 million assured and a $14.375 million common wage. Elliott, 24, was below contract by 2020 and was set to make $three.853 million in 2019 and $9.09 million on the fifth-year choice in 2020, making his complete compensation by 2026 greater than $100 million.

The excessive of signing the deal was short-lived after Elliott went by his first exercises together with his teammates in searing warmth and humidity in preparation for Sunday’s season opener towards the New York Giants.

“The warmth was slightly tough right now, however it’s air-con in AT&T Stadium,” Elliott joked. “So I imply, I am simply going to maintain seeing how I really feel the remainder of this week.”

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Elliott spent most of his summer time figuring out in Cabo San Lucas, trying to simulate soccer drills as a lot as he may with a power coach, athletic coach, different present gamers and Corridor of Famer Marshall Faulk.

“He is in excellent form,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett stated. “He seems good, however he hasn’t practiced with professional soccer gamers, so we’ll simply see how he suits again in. However he is a fast examine. He is a sensible man, acquired glorious soccer IQ. So we’ll simply see the place he’s and modify accordingly as we go.”

The Cowboys can have a roster exemption for Elliott this week, however the staff would want to make a transfer on the 53-man roster for him to play. Elliott stated evaluating his return to the staff now to his return from a six-game suspension in 2017 is totally different as a result of he had a full offseason program, coaching camp and eight video games of motion earlier than he accepted the league’s punishment.

However he additionally stated he may deal with a big workload on Sunday.

“I feel I am simply going to method it as a traditional week. You continue to need to be recent by Sunday,” Elliott stated. “It’s a lengthy season. So do not need to attempt to overdo it and danger damage.”

Signing bonus$7.5 million2019 base wage*$752,1372020 base wage*$6.eight million*$13M choice bonus2021 base wage**$9.6 million2022 base wage**$12.four million2023 base wage$10.9 million2024 base wage$10 million2025 base wage$15.four million2026 base wage$16.6 million* Assured, totaling $28M at signing** Assured on fifth day of league years in ’20, ’21

The Cowboys will monitor Elliott this week and hope that he is sincere with the place he is at bodily. He returned to the ultimate two video games of the 2017 season and had 51 carries for 200 yards.

“You simply attempt your finest to gauge them and attempt to put the participant, the staff in the perfect place,” Garrett stated. “Clearly he was with us all all through the offseason. He missed coaching camp. Actually hasn’t performed in preseason video games previously, so there’s a whole lot of various factors to weigh.

“The most important factor you do, is you get him again in right here and also you get him again to work. You get suggestions from him as to how he is doing. You watch him and also you make your finest judgment in the way you need to use him going ahead.”

When Elliott went to mattress Tuesday, he didn’t consider a deal can be accomplished in time for him to observe Wednesday, however he had not but thought of the opportunity of lacking regular-season video games.

Elliott obtained a name deal was agreed upon round 7 a.m. ET.

Not an hour later, he was at The Star, seeing his teammates for the primary time since June.

“Guys are simply excited to see him. It was much less about, like, ‘Oh, thank God you are right here. Thank God you bought your deal accomplished,'” heart Travis Frederick stated. “It was, ‘Man, I’ve missed you. I have never seen you in a month.’ It is simply bizarre not having him round. … It is like considered one of your brothers has shipped off to do a semester overseas and unexpectedly has come again. It is only a good, reuniting feeling.”

Elliott stated he felt help from teammates throughout his holdout, which helped preserve him resolute.

“Calls, textual content … I imply, considered one of my teammates informed me do not come again and not using a deal,” Elliott stated. “I imply, simply help like that from this group of fellows meant every thing. It positively would have been tougher if issues had been the other.”

On the time of signing, Elliott was assured $28 million. The ultimate $22 million in assured cash is available in his 2021 and 2022 base salaries on the fifth day of every league yr.

Since becoming a member of the Cowboys because the fourth general decide within the 2016 draft, Elliott leads the NFL with four,048 dashing yards — regardless of lacking eight video games. Gurley is second with three,441 yards. In 2018, Elliott joined Herschel Walker as the one Cowboys operating backs to have greater than 1,000 yards dashing and 500 yards receiving in the identical season.

He’s the fifth participant for the reason that NFL/AFL merger in 1970 to steer the league in dashing twice in his first three seasons. Cowboys Corridor of Famer Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time main rusher, additionally achieved the feat in 1991 and 1992.

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Through the course of negotiations, proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones stated groups didn’t want dashing champions to achieve success and joked, ‘Zeke who?’ after rookie Tony Pollard had a powerful exhibiting within the preseason.

“It is simply negotiations. You have to get by it,” Elliott stated. “We’re good.”

Elliott has not spoken with Jones for the reason that deal got here to fruition. The proprietor was in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday. They’ll probably speak quickly with an official press convention coming Thursday with Jones again in North Texas.

Elliott met his aim to be the very best paid operating again. Now the aim is to win the Tremendous Bowl.

“I imply, I’ve simply acquired to take it to the subsequent stage now,” Elliott stated. “That is what I am making an attempt to say.”