Things are going well in this final round of negotiations between Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys. So well, in fact, he’s cut his de facto vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico short. Elliott is jetting back to Dallas, reportedly, as a new deal seems on the horizon before the official start of the NFL 2019 season.
Can confirm that Ezekiel Elliott is flying back to DFW today. Progress continues toward a deal. Today is a big day.
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) September 3, 2019
Early reports are the deal is a six-year, $90 million extension that will average $15 million a season. The contract and its nuances haven’t been finalized, but the numbers are apparently in place.
Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott close in on a six-year, $90 million extension that would tie him to the team through 2026 https://t.co/EeOVZwFPSN
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 3, 2019
The Cowboys open up the season hosting the New York Giants, an NFC East Rival. Elliott is reportedly in game shape, after working out with Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk, and should plug right back into the starting line up.
Elliott’s goal, all along, has been to become the highest paid running back in the game. Zeke is in the fourth year of his rookie contract, with Dallas holding the fifth year option. That means he’s under contract for two more years without the extension, but he’s not playing without an influx of significant cash.
Talking to 105.3 the fan Tuesday morning, Jerry Jones reportedly was in good spirits about the possibility of a new deal, saying, “I am hopeful to have Zeke.”
Cowboys lock up La’el Collins while they’re at it
While they had their checkbooks out, there was no reason for the Cowboys not to take care of their star offensive tackle. La’el Collins signed a five-year contract extension with $50 million in new cash and $35 million in guaranteed money.
Cowboy and OT La’el Collins reached agreement on a five-year contract extension that ties him to Dallas for the next six seasons, per source. It will make Collins one of the NFL’s five-highest paid RTs.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2019
Dallas stole Collins after he fell through the 2015 NFL draft due to police questioning over a crime for which he wasn’t involved. Originally projected as a first round pick, Collins was treated like a prime free agent once the draft wrapped, signing a three-year, $1.5 million deal originally. In 2017, Dallas re-upped with Collins for a two-year, $15.4 million extension. This would have been the final year of that contract.
