Jerry Jones offered up an update on Ezekiel Elliott’s contract negotiations, and it sounds like the Cowboys Owner/President/General Manager is coming to terms with a harsh reality:
Jerry Jones on Ezekiel Elliott: “I’m operating as though, right now, he’s going to miss regular-season games. My entire expectation for what we’re putting together as a team right now would anticipate … that he’s going to miss games. I just accept that.” https://t.co/HWQCBalZ0q
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 30, 2019
The Cowboys are preparing to start the regular season without Elliott, a two-time league rushing champ who is the focal point of the offense, per Jon Machota of The Athletic.
“I’m operating as though, right now, he’s going to miss regular-season games,” Jones told reporters during a 25-minute meeting with the assembled press in Arlington, Texas. “My entire expectation for what we’re putting together as a team right now would anticipate with him holding out and not having any training camp that he’s going to miss games. I just accept that.”
Oof. That doesn’t sound encouraging for the Cowboys. Because it’s not just Week 1, Jones mentioned games — as in the plural form.
For what it’s worth, Jones did express some optimism that Elliott would eventually join the team. Jones told reporters that “he can’t and won’t miss them all” and that the team is better with its star running back available and in the backfield behind Dak Prescott. That’s a nice departure from his recent “Zeke who?” comments. But still … it doesn’t appear that’s enough to bring him back into the fold. So for the time being, the Cowboys are going to have to win without their best player.
Dallas opens up with games against the Giants, at Washington, the Dolphins, and at New Orleans in the first four weeks. Three of those four teams didn’t make the playoffs last year, but going into rivalry games against New York and Washington without your best player still doesn’t sound ideal.
Previously, Elliott informed the Cowboys he would not play in 2019 without a new contract and has been holding out from training camp since. And while the Bears don’t play the Cowboys until Week 14, his absence will be something to keep an eye on for as long as he isn’t in Dallas’ locker room.