Well, the wait is finally over. Just under one week before the NFL regular season starts, the Dallas Cowboys and Zeke Elliott have agreed to a massive six-year, $90 million extension.
In total, Elliott will be paid $103 million over eight years, with $50 million guaranteed. Per year, he’ll make $15 million. The money wasn’t the biggest surprise, but the length of the contract is.
That’s because contracts usually run four years and Elliott is locked in as the Cowboys’ feature running back until he’s 30. The contract extension makes Elliott the top-paid RB just ahead of Todd Gurley’s $14,375,000 million per year. Elliott is also the first Cowboys running back to eclipse $100 million in total value.
“Anybody, when you’re talking about that kind of money, we’re all overpaid,” said John Stephen Jones, current Executive Vice President, CEO, and Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.
“For what he has done, how he’s worked, how he’s utilized his skills, he’s in the marketplace of where we are in pro sports and pro football.”
How the West was Won
Indeed, NFL teams have drafted fewer running backs in the first round in recent years. With the passing game becoming predominantly high-end, running backs have had leverage during negotiations. While some view the position as replaceable, others deem them as valuable competition in the playoffs.
During the talks, both Jerry and Stephen Jones turned their noses at making Zeke the highest-paid running back. They didn’t want to reset the running back market, but a top player at every position usually resets the market.
When it came down to it, Tony Pollard as a back couldn’t carry the load in Elliott’s absence. Elliott has averaged 101.2 rushing YPG in his career. With Elliot in the backfield, the Cowboys are now Super Bowl contenders.
Without him, they would’ve barely been a playoff team. They only worry now is how much Zeke will eat on Sundays. Let the games begin!
