Maveric

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18-Phillips_Rob-HS

Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

Without-Zeke-What-Does-The-RB-Group-Look-Like-hero

OXNARD, Calif. – When head coach Jason Garrett held his first team meeting Friday from Oxnard, the message to his players did not include Ezekiel Elliott’s current absence from training camp.
“We really didn’t address it at all,” Garrett said. “We just talked to our team as if it were Day 1 and we shared with them what our expectations are – what they can expect from us and what we expect from them, what the schedules are, what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it.”
Elliott is seeking a long-term contract extension from the organization that drafted him fourth overall in 2016. The Cowboys have been in touch with his camp, but it’s unclear if or when the All-Pro running back will report to camp without a new deal in place.
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones called the matter “business as usual” in the NFL. Chief operating officer Stephen Jones said he’s “optimistic that we can make this all come together.”
And Garrett’s job is to keep the rest of the 90-man roster focused on the 16 practices scheduled for the next three weeks here on the west coast.

For now, that means more reps for the running backs who are in camp: Darius Jackson, Jordan Chunn and 2019 draft picks Tony Pollard (fourth round) and Mike Weber Jr. (seventh round).
Pollard and Weber are talented rookies. Chunn spent last year on the practice squad and has shown potential. But only Jackson has a regular-season carry.
“We’re just taking advantage of our opportunities as a group,” Jackson said after Saturday’s morning walkthrough. “Zeke’s got business to handle, so we’re just focusing on who’s here and what we’re doing now.”
This is Jackson’s third stint with the Cowboys. Originally their sixth-round pick in 2016, the 25-year-old was released in the middle of his rookie year and picked up by the Browns. He sat out the 2017 season with a knee injury, went to camp with the Cowboys again, then to Green Bay for a month, then back to Dallas last October.
Jackson got the first carries of his career (6 for 16 yards) last December against the Giants when the team opted to rest Elliott for the playoffs. He was primarily the No. 2 back behind Elliott during offseason workouts open to the media.

“This league’s about opportunity,” Jackson said. “If it presents itself, I’ll be ready.
“It was big for me coming back to this system. I felt like I had unfinished business and still do. So that’s what I’m after. I’m chasing after accomplishing my personal goals.”
Overall, it’s a group short on experience. But if there’s a silver lining to this Zeke-less start, the coaching staff will have a better chance to evaluate down the depth chart – particularly Pollard and Weber, who have never been in an NFL camp.
Weber and Elliott were teammates for a year at Ohio State. He’s viewed as a traditional back. Some draft observers labeled Pollard as a ‘gadget,’ change-of-pace runner at Memphis, but the Cowboys believe otherwise.
“I think they’ve done a really nice job, worked hard in the offseason really starting with that first rookie minicamp and through the OTAs and the minicamp,” Garrett said. “You see those guys getting better before your eyes.”

And there's more time to watch them until Elliott returns.
 

Scot

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Reports today are stating that Zeke is on his way to Cabo

So it looks like he’s gonna take a short vacation before he reports to camp next week so that he doesn’t lose a years eligibility
 

yimyammer

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I wish they had the balls to play hardball and think they should with two years remaining on his rookie deal but you know Jerry will fold like a cheap tent
 

Scot

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I agree

Two years left on his deal and the team is going to let him strong arm them into an early deal.

I say call his bluff! He’s not about to sit out past the August deadline and miss out on a year of eligibility

With everything this team did to stand behind him, support him, and to help him with his legal battles and suspension he shouldn’t be pulling this shit right now. Not with two years left on his rookie deal.
 

Mustang1

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There is no way in the world I would deal with Elliott under his conditions. I have been a Cowboys fan since the late sixties and enjoyed our Super Bowl years. It has been 23 years without a Super Bowl and very little success in the playoffs. I was very excited about our prospects this year and prayed that no drama would hit the team as it seems to do every year. I think Elliott chose the wrong year to holdout. If Elliott were to keep his nose out of trouble and if the Cowboys got to the NFC championship this year I believe JJ would open his checkbook. You can say what you want about JJ but he is loyal to his players to a fault. This is why I don’t understand what Elliott is thinking. Elliott continues to do stupid stuff outside of football and wants to strong arm the team right after his most recent acquittal for a deal greater than Gurleys deal??? Are you kidding me? His timing stinks! Not No but HELL NO! I don’t care about the so called shelf life of a running back . He is due $12,000,000 over the next two years. I think his family will be able to eat. As a loyal Dallas Cowboys fan I can live with our team struggling as long as I feel they are doing their very best. I could not possibly care any less about Ezekiel Elliott playing for my Boys. As a matter of fact I would let him sit out the year and watch. Our team will be good with or with out Elliott. He needs to understand that being a member of the Dallas Cowboys is special and means a lot. Ask Dak Prescott about his appreciation for being QB of the Dallas Cowboys. He’s raking in the money off endorsements. Why...because he gets it! I know there are varying opinions on this holdout but I wanted to express my position on the matter and needed to vent. Nothing would please me more than our Cowboys earning a Super Bowl berth while Mr. Elliott enjoys his time in Cabo. Good riddance!
 

SixisBetter

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Well, I liked Jerry's comments about "not having a leading rusher" to get to the Super Bowl. OTOH, you have to have some kind of hammer on offense, whether it be Zeke or a high octane passing game.
My gut feeling is they'll come to terms with Zeke, Dak, and Cooper before the season starts.
 

Scot

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We just re-signed Alfred Morris

It looks like Jeruh is trying to call Zeke’s bluff!

Good on ya mate!
 

Maveric

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We just re-signed Alfred Morris

It looks like Jeruh is trying to call Zeke’s bluff!

Good on ya mate!
Hopefully it's just a "veteran presence in camp" kind of move. If they're actually thinking about having to use him we'd be in trouble...
 

nickb

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Well, I liked Jerry's comments about "not having a leading rusher" to get to the Super Bowl. OTOH, you have to have some kind of hammer on offense, whether it be Zeke or a high octane passing game.
My gut feeling is they'll come to terms with Zeke, Dak, and Cooper before the season starts.
Yeah Jerry also said we could win without a true number #1 WR...
 

Ragnar

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I agree

Two years left on his deal and the team is going to let him strong arm them into an early deal.

I say call his bluff! He’s not about to sit out past the August deadline and miss out on a year of eligibility

With everything this team did to stand behind him, support him, and to help him with his legal battles and suspension he shouldn’t be pulling this shit right now. Not with two years left on his rookie deal.

Unfortunately that isn't going to matter much. All he would lose is unrestricted free agency. He would still be a restricted free agent. Teams like Miami, Detroit, or San Francisco can still offer him a contract the Cowboys would have to match. He would still get a boatload of cash, which is what he wants right now.

The good news is if Prescott crashes and burns as a result, his big pay day is gone.
 

MrB

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Unfortunately that isn't going to matter much. All he would lose is unrestricted free agency. He would still be a restricted free agent. Teams like Miami, Detroit, or San Francisco can still offer him a contract the Cowboys would have to match. He would still get a boatload of cash, which is what he wants right now.

The good news is if Prescott crashes and burns as a result, his big pay day is gone.

The Cowboys could franchise him at
That point and work out a trade.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Scot

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It’s reported that Zeke is on his way back to Dallas. The hopes are that it’s to sign a new contract in time to play this weekend

I have my doubts that the deal gets done.
 
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