Cowboys Released Ezekiel Elliott

 

Cowboys Released Ezekiel Elliott:

When the Dallas Cowboys released former NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott on March 15, many questioned why the team didn’t outright ask the former No. 4 overall pick to take a pay cut.

At the NFL's annual meeting, Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones disclosed that although a pay cut was talked about internally, the team believed it had a good reason for not offering Elliott a reduced deal.

“The last thing we want to do is do anything that would be insulting to a player, to a great player, like Zeke, who was one of the best players to ever put on a Cowboys uniform,” Jones said, via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. “There are sensitivities when you get into making offers.”

With a cap hit of $16.7 million in 2023, Elliott was released with a post-June 1 designation, saving Dallas $10.9 million in cap space with just $5.8 million in dead money.

Elliott saw his role diminish this past season (876 yards, 3.8 yards per carry) with the emergence of fourth-year running back Tony Pollard, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry while rushing for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns. The Cowboys franchise-tagged Pollard, guaranteeing him a $10.1 million salary for the 2023 season and making Elliott and his inflated salary all the more expendable.

Although Elliott is one of the top free agents still available, the market for running backs has been lean. Other top halfbacks like Miles Sanders and David Montgomery signed four- and three-year deals worth $6.25 million and $6 million per season, respectively.

Sometimes the best thing is to let them get a feel for what the market is,” Jones added. “…I think for the most part we’ve worked through these tough situations in a good way and hopefully we’re doing it in spades with Zeke because there’s nothing but love and respect for Zeke Elliott.”

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy didn't completely shut down a possible reunion with Elliott at a reduced salary during the NFL's annual meeting, stating the team would "always keep the door open."

It was reported that the Dallas Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott, the former NFL rushing champion, on March 15, instead of asking him to take a pay cut. Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones disclosed at the NFL's annual meeting that a pay cut was talked about internally, but the team believed it had a good reason for not offering Elliott a reduced deal. Jones stated that the team did not want to insult a great player like Elliott, who was one of the best players to ever put on a Cowboys uniform. Elliott had a cap hit of $16.7 million in 2023, and his release with a post-June 1 designation saved Dallas $10.9 million in cap space.

During the previous season, Elliott's role diminished with the emergence of fourth-year running back Tony Pollard, who averaged 5.2 yards per carry while rushing for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns. The Cowboys franchise-tagged Pollard, guaranteeing him a $10.1 million salary for the 2023 season and making Elliott and his inflated salary all the more expendable. Despite being one of the top free agents still available, the market for running backs has been lean. Other top halfbacks like Miles Sanders and David Montgomery signed four- and three-year deals worth $6.25 million and $6 million per season, respectively.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy did not completely shut down a possible reunion with Elliott at a reduced salary during the NFL's annual meeting, stating that the team would "always keep the door open." However, Jones added that sometimes it is best to let players get a feel for what the market is. He also stated that the team has worked through tough situations in a good way, and there is nothing but love and respect for Elliott.

On March 15th, the Dallas Cowboys released Ezekiel Elliott, who was once the NFL rushing champion. However, instead of asking him to take a pay cut, the team decided to release him outright. This decision was met with some confusion from fans and analysts, who questioned why the team didn't try to negotiate a reduced salary for the player.

At the NFL's annual meeting, Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones shed some light on this decision. According to Jones, the team had discussed the possibility of asking Elliott to take a pay cut, but ultimately decided against it. They believed that offering a reduced deal could be seen as insulting to a player of Elliott's caliber, who was one of the best players to ever wear a Cowboys uniform.

Elliott's cap hit for the 2023 season was $16.7 million, and his release with a post-June 1 designation allowed Dallas to save $10.9 million in cap space with just $5.8 million in dead money. This move was made easier by the fact that Elliott's role had diminished during the previous season. Tony Pollard, a fourth-year running back, had emerged as a strong performer, averaging 5.2 yards per carry while rushing for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns. The Cowboys franchise-tagged Pollard, guaranteeing him a $10.1 million salary for the 2023 season.

Despite being one of the top free agents available, Elliott has struggled to find a new team. The market for running backs has been lean, with other top halfbacks like Miles Sanders and David Montgomery signing deals worth $6.25 million and $6 million per season, respectively.

Jones explained that sometimes, it's best to let players get a feel for what the market is like before making an offer. He also expressed his respect and admiration for Elliott, stating that there was nothing but love and respect for him within the Cowboys organization. While the team has not ruled out a possible reunion with Elliott, Jones emphasized that they would only consider it at a reduced salary.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy echoed this sentiment, stating that the team would "always keep the door open" for Elliott. However, given the team's financial situation and the emergence of Pollard, it seems unlikely that Elliott will return to Dallas at his previous salary level.