Subscribe
Follow Us
Amid Ezekiel Elliott's holdout, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has hinted that the team could win without him. After the Cowboys preseason opener against the San Francisco 49ers, Jones doubled-down on his stance.
Jones said that he believes that rookie running back Tony Pollard is capable of “carrying the whole load“. The Cowboys may not have a choice but to start Pollard if Elliott remains distant from the team. Therefore, it's understandable why Jones is trying to begin the hype surrounding their rookie rusher.
Pollard carried it four times for 16 yards against the 49ers in his preseason debut. The team also added Alfred Morris to provide some depth at the position.
At the beginning of training camp, Dallas was disappointed to see Elliott absent from the team. Their All-Pro running back wants a new contract with the team that makes him the highest-paid running back in the league.
On the other hand, Jones and the Cowboys are trying to avoid giving what Elliott wants. Dallas is trying to keep the deal in the same range as Le'Veon Bell's current contract—not Todd Gurley's. Elliott is due $3.8 million in 2019 and $9.1 million in 2020.
The Cowboys offense is built around their rushing offense and Elliott, making him an invaluable player for them. The people who believe he is easily replaceable are sadly mistaken.
Last season, Elliott gained over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and accounted for almost half of the Cowboys yards on offense. We've already seen what the Cowboys offense looks like when Elliott is out of it when he was suspended for six games in 2017.
In those six games, the team went 3-3 and failed to make the playoffs that season. Elliott's holdout will likely creep into the regular season with neither side showing any signs of budging anytime soon.
