Jerry Jones pays Ezekiel Elliott: Time for Cowboys to win Tremendous Bowl

FRISCO, Texas — Now that working again Ezekiel Elliott has his contract extension, there may be one factor left for the Dallas Cowboys to do — win the Tremendous Bowl.

The Cowboys’ purpose has been to maintain their core items in place. It began with Professional Bowl pass-rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (five-year deal, $101 million), continued with linebacker Jaylon Smith (five-year extension, $64 million) and proper deal with La’el Collins (five-year extension, $50 million), and now Elliott has a six-year contract extension ($90 million).

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The Cowboys nonetheless need to lock up quarterback Dak Prescott and broad receiver Amari Cooper for the long run, however there was no query that they’d play in Sunday’s season opener towards the New York Giants (four:25 p.m. ET, Fox). Possibly Cowboys proprietor and normal supervisor Jerry Jones can slice away extra items of the salary-cap pie to cornerbacks Byron Jones, Anthony Brown and others to maintain gamers for the longer term as properly.

Jones believes he has the expertise to do one thing the franchise has not accomplished since 1995 (win a Tremendous Bowl) and compete for years to return with a roster stuffed with gamers who’re getting into their prime.

Getting a deal accomplished with Elliott was a extra arduous job than many would have initially believed. Elliott was signed by way of 2020 and set to make $three.853 million this season and $9.09 million in 2020, however he wished to be taken care of sooner relatively than later, figuring out he already has surpassed a working again’s common shelf lifetime of three seasons. The Cowboys have been prepared to compromise as a result of that they had Elliott underneath contract for 2 extra years, however there have been a number of negotiating roadblocks between staff and agent that extended the inevitable conclusion.

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In the long run, Elliott will get his money now, at 24 years previous, and the Cowboys pays him as the most effective working again in soccer earlier than he hits the working again wall, sometimes within the late 20s or early 30s.

Figuring out how rapidly Elliott can stand up to hurry is not possible. He was not going to get a carry within the preseason anyway, however lacking all the practices has to matter at the very least slightly bit. The Cowboys are of the idea he was doing his greatest to maintain himself in form whereas he was in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Throughout his six-game suspension in 2017, he labored out in Cabo however didn’t return in the most effective taking part in situation. Within the last two video games of that season, he ran for 200 whole yards on 51 carries towards the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles. That manufacturing got here with the advantage of a full coaching camp and eight regular-season video games.

Now he arrives firstly of the 2019 season along with his final work along with his teammates coming throughout June’s obligatory minicamp.

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Not less than early, the Cowboys must spell Elliott greater than they’ve up to now. They’ve come to adore rookie Tony Pollard, their 2019 fourth-round choose, they usually even have veteran Alfred Morris in case of an emergency.

Jones referenced the season as a “marathon” throughout negotiations with Elliott’s camp. The Cowboys can be smart to verify Elliott can attain the end line by not overworking him firstly and doubtlessly making him prone to damage, it doesn’t matter what kind of form he is perhaps in from working on the seaside.

If Elliott had continued to carry out, Jones thought the Cowboys might win in 2019.

Now that the Cowboys have Elliott underneath contract and a number of other of their core gamers in place, they should be thought-about one of many higher groups within the NFC and a contender to make it to Tremendous Bowl LIV in Miami.

There aren’t any extra excuses.