I say trade him. Thoughts?

---

If they had Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Philip Rivers or Drew Brees at QB I would say "maybe". But they have Prescott. And they traded for Amari Cooper last year. You take Zeke out of the equation and they'll struggle. Just two years ago they went three straight games in a row without scoring 10 or more points without him.

Prescott could barely win 10 games with him last year. He accounted for 2,001 total yards of their offense last year and he missed a game to boot. You take Zeke out of the equation and Cooper's workload goes up a bit more as well.

---

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

My 11 year old niece could pick up yards behind that line. Trade the fat boy. RB's should never be paid.

---

My 11 year old niece could pick up yards behind that line. Trade the fat boy. RB's should never be paid.

I’m not shocked you are so far off base with Zeke. Fat boy?

Zeke may be the best back in the league and that’s not all because his line. He makes Dak look good every game and when another back comes in, they’re not even close to getting the yards like Zeke.

---

Ignore it and go about business as usual.  Give in to the pressure once, then he (and every other star player) owns you forever.

---

When you get into the endzone, act like you've been there before.

This is why you never stand pat with the roster you have. Always be looking to draft the next man up.
Zeke may get paid, but if he ends up just about anywhere else, he is going to look a whole lot more average.

---

My 11 year old niece could pick up yards behind that line. Trade the fat boy. RB's should never be paid.

They deserve to be paid when they account for 2,000 yards of your teams total offense. Especially when your QB is a game manager at best. You have to keep effective players around when you can. Other than that one year he had a four game suspension he's been a pretty much clean football player on and off the field. 

I would trade Leonard Fournette for him in a heartbeat.

---

My 11 year old niece could pick up yards behind that line. Trade the fat boy. RB's should never be paid.

I’m not shocked you are so far off base with Zeke. Fat boy?

Zeke may be the best back in the league and that’s not all because his line. He makes Dak look good every game and when another back comes in, they’re not even close to getting the yards like Zeke.

Agreed with the bold statement above. Saquon Barkley did it all last year and showcased why the RB position is still a valued commodity on offense for the Giants as a rookie. And his offensive line isn't a steel wall by any means.

---

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

My 11 year old niece could pick up yards behind that line. Trade the fat boy. RB's should never be paid.

They deserve to be paid when they account for 2,000 yards of your teams total offense. Especially when your QB is a game manager at best. You have to keep effective players around when you can. Other than that one year he had a four game suspension he's been a pretty much clean football player on and off the field. 

I would trade Leonard Fournette for him in a heartbeat.

---

I’m not shocked you are so far off base with Zeke. Fat boy?

Zeke may be the best back in the league and that’s not all because his line. He makes Dak look good every game and when another back comes in, they’re not even close to getting the yards like Zeke.

Agreed with the bold statement above. Saquon Barkley did it all last year and showcased why the RB position is still a valued commodity on offense for the Giants as a rookie. And his offensive line isn't a steel wall by any means.

Just try watching those Cowboys games without Zeke. Their offense is ATROCIOUS

---

I wouldn't pay Zeke was he wants either

---

My 11 year old niece could pick up yards behind that line. Trade the fat boy. RB's should never be paid.

They deserve to be paid when they account for 2,000 yards of your teams total offense. Especially when your QB is a game manager at best. You have to keep effective players around when you can. Other than that one year he had a four game suspension he's been a pretty much clean football player on and off the field. 

I would trade Leonard Fournette for him in a heartbeat.

---

I’m not shocked you are so far off base with Zeke. Fat boy?

Zeke may be the best back in the league and that’s not all because his line. He makes Dak look good every game and when another back comes in, they’re not even close to getting the yards like Zeke.

Agreed with the bold statement above. Saquon Barkley did it all last year and showcased why the RB position is still a valued commodity on offense for the Giants as a rookie. And his offensive line isn't a steel wall by any means.

Barkley was one of the best backs in the league last year and the Giants were still one of the worst teams. That should tell you what you need to know

---

I wouldn't pay Zeke was he wants either

---

They deserve to be paid when they account for 2,000 yards of your teams total offense. Especially when your QB is a game manager at best. You have to keep effective players around when you can. Other than that one year he had a four game suspension he's been a pretty much clean football player on and off the field. 

I would trade Leonard Fournette for him in a heartbeat.

---

Agreed with the bold statement above. Saquon Barkley did it all last year and showcased why the RB position is still a valued commodity on offense for the Giants as a rookie. And his offensive line isn't a steel wall by any means.

Barkley was one of the best backs in the league last year and the Giants were still one of the worst teams. That should tell you what you need to know

Yeah. It tells me that until you have an above average QB with an above average defense you shouldn't be looking to ship off the little bit of talent that you have on offense. That, and also the fact that your coaching staff is probably garbage as well along with whomever is selecting personnel every off season.

---

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

I wouldn't pay Zeke was he wants either

---

Barkley was one of the best backs in the league last year and the Giants were still one of the worst teams. That should tell you what you need to know

Yeah. It tells me that until you have an above average QB with an above average defense you shouldn't be looking to ship off the little bit of talent that you have on offense. That, and also the fact that your coaching staff is probably garbage as well along with whomever is selecting personnel every off season.

The cowboys have a top 5 defense and an above average QB.

I'm fine with paying a RB like Zeke, just not going to be the team that gives one of the most replaceble positions in football a huge deal.

---

Yeah. It tells me that until you have an above average QB with an above average defense you shouldn't be looking to ship off the little bit of talent that you have on offense. That, and also the fact that your coaching staff is probably garbage as well along with whomever is selecting personnel every off season.

The cowboys have a top 5 defense and an above average QB.

I'm fine with paying a RB like Zeke, just not going to be the team that gives one of the most replaceble positions in football a huge deal.

The Cowboys barely won 10 games last year and Dak Prescott is a game manager at best. Not a game changer. But a game manager. There's also a huge difference between an elite RB and just a guy at "the most replaceable" position in football. When elite RB's are given a superstar QB they end up putting up even more ridiculous numbers. Faulk, Tomlinson and Peterson are prime examples of this. 

Elliot has the potential to be a hall of fame RB someday. Like Cleatwood said. Take Zeke out of Dallas and watch Prescott fold further under pressure over a 16 game season. I don't think you have to break the bank for the guy. But Jerry Jones has signed up far, FAR less talent for far more throughout his time in Dallas.

---

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

The cowboys have a top 5 defense and an above average QB.

I'm fine with paying a RB like Zeke, just not going to be the team that gives one of the most replaceble positions in football a huge deal.

The Cowboys barely won 10 games last year and Dak Prescott is a game manager at best. Not a game changer. But a game manager. There's also a huge difference between an elite RB and just a guy at "the most replaceable" position in football. When elite RB's are given a superstar QB they end up putting up even more ridiculous numbers. Faulk, Tomlinson and Peterson are prime examples of this. 

Elliot has the potential to be a hall of fame RB someday. Like Cleatwood said. Take Zeke out of Dallas and watch Prescott fold further under pressure over a 16 game season. I don't think you have to break the bank for the guy. But Jerry Jones has signed up far, FAR less talent for far more throughout his time in Dallas.

He's been an above average QB since he came into the league by pretty much every relevant point you want to look at. 

And yes Zeke is absolutely elite , but positions also have levels of value. You aren't going to pay him like a prime pass rusher because it isn't as valuable. So that leaves us with what will you pay him? Given his multi faceted role I'd be happy to make him 8 million or so , but I'm not gonna give him what the Rams gave Gurley for instance. There's so much talent at the position and it's so dependent on Oline play that I'd rather spend elsewhere.

Amari Cooper is a lot more valuable than Zeke, so is Dak and several linemen.

---

The Cowboys barely won 10 games last year and Dak Prescott is a game manager at best. Not a game changer. But a game manager. There's also a huge difference between an elite RB and just a guy at "the most replaceable" position in football. When elite RB's are given a superstar QB they end up putting up even more ridiculous numbers. Faulk, Tomlinson and Peterson are prime examples of this. 

Elliot has the potential to be a hall of fame RB someday. Like Cleatwood said. Take Zeke out of Dallas and watch Prescott fold further under pressure over a 16 game season. I don't think you have to break the bank for the guy. But Jerry Jones has signed up far, FAR less talent for far more throughout his time in Dallas.

He's been an above average QB since he came into the league by pretty much every relevant point you want to look at. 

And yes Zeke is absolutely elite , but positions also have levels of value. You aren't going to pay him like a prime pass rusher because it isn't as valuable. So that leaves us with what will you pay him? Given his multi faceted role I'd be happy to make him 8 million or so , but I'm not gonna give him what the Rams gave Gurley for instance. There's so much talent at the position and it's so dependent on Oline play that I'd rather spend elsewhere.

Amari Cooper is a lot more valuable than Zeke, so is Dak and several linemen.

Elliot is right on par with Gurley. Maybe even better at times. Prescott has overachieved. I won't take that away from him. Sometimes being a game manager isn't a bad deal. I think value is relative to each individual team and how they approach the game. If you have a QB like Tom Brady and you run a RB by committee policy you won't value a RB as much as say a team such as ours here in Jacksonville where we've always prided ourselves on being able to run it at will. 

We went so long with such depletion and lack luster ability at the position that they decided to draft Fournette (for better or worse) as highly as they did a few years ago. The Cowboys obviously valued Elliot enough to take him as high they did. Which is something they haven't done since I believe Emmitt Smith at the position. 

The idea though that you can just throw anybody behind Dallas' line and expect 2,000+ yards of total offense to be picked-up by Prescott and Cooper is a tall order to ask and fulfill. Even if you got a Joe Blow at RB that scrapped up 900 - 1100 yards you would still be relying on a QB that's yet been asked or demanded of to throw for well over 4,000 yards in a season and therefore put more pressure on himself in the pocket and his pass protection up front.

---

"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."

He's been an above average QB since he came into the league by pretty much every relevant point you want to look at. 

And yes Zeke is absolutely elite , but positions also have levels of value. You aren't going to pay him like a prime pass rusher because it isn't as valuable. So that leaves us with what will you pay him? Given his multi faceted role I'd be happy to make him 8 million or so , but I'm not gonna give him what the Rams gave Gurley for instance. There's so much talent at the position and it's so dependent on Oline play that I'd rather spend elsewhere.

Amari Cooper is a lot more valuable than Zeke, so is Dak and several linemen.

Elliot is right on par with Gurley. Maybe even better at times. Prescott has overachieved. I won't take that away from him. Sometimes being a game manager isn't a bad deal. I think value is relative to each individual team and how they approach the game. If you have a QB like Tom Brady and you run a RB by committee policy you won't value a RB as much as say a team such as ours here in Jacksonville where we've always prided ourselves on being able to run it at will. 

We went so long with such depletion and lack luster ability at the position that they decided to draft Fournette (for better or worse) as highly as they did a few years ago. The Cowboys obviously valued Elliot enough to take him as high they did. Which is something they haven't done since I believe Emmitt Smith at the position. 

The idea though that you can just throw anybody behind Dallas' line and expect 2,000+ yards of total offense to be picked-up by Prescott and Cooper is a tall order to ask and fulfill. Even if you got a Joe Blow at RB that scrapped up 900 - 1100 yards you would still be relying on a QB that's yet been asked or demanded of to throw for well over 4,000 yards in a season and therefore put more pressure on himself in the pocket and his pass protection up front.

I know, I just wouldn't pay Gurley that deal either. I mean we've already seen Dak duking it out with Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs , that's not something a game manager does. He's more than that.

I'm not one of those "RBs dont have any effect" zealots. There's a marked difference in the effect someone like Zeke has on the defense Vs say Lamar Miller, it's just not worth the difference in price for me. 

When the Cowboys had to use backups without Zeke they had comparable rate stats because their line was still great. Build a good line and you can just plug in RBs and achieve good production and efficiency (look at the Steelers).+ You have one of the best rushing QBs in the game.

---

It seems that Zeke has played more than 3 seasons, but that's all he has played. He's entering the 4th year of his rookie deal, with the team having available a 5th year option at around $9m base salary next year. This year he'll make a base of just under $4m, with a cap figure of just under $8m ($16m signing bonus on 4 year deal adds $4m annually to his cap). Zeke has been paid well for someone in their rookie deal to date. If I were Jerry Jones, I would hold firm that we will work out a long term deal after the season. If the player chooses to miss $4m in agreed payments, that is his choice.

---

Didn't LeVeon Bell try this last year?

---

Didn't LeVeon Bell try this last year?

Yep, and it worked.


These players have their body as their means of income, I don't blame Zeke for holding out. I know he's still on his rookie deal, but I believe it was a 5 year deal, and he's only scheduled to earn around 5$M this year. The way the NFL treats backs like they're disposable, I don't blame the man for wanting to secure some kind of financial future. Only problem is he will most likely be shipped to a much worse squad. We'll see how it all plays out.

---