Cowboys Ex Ezekiel Elliott Reveals '2 Things He Wants'; GM's Say 'Market's Not There'

So how far has Ezekiel Elliott slipped? Calls "made all morning'' offer intelligence of a disconnect between the Cowboys ex and NFL GM's.

FRISCO - Ezekiel Elliott is not the same caliber of performer he was earlier in his career as a two-time rushing champ who once upon a time signed a six-year, $90 million contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

But how far has he slipped? Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN said on Wednesday that she's "made calls all morning'' and has gathered intelligence that tells her three things ...

One "thing is clear,'' she reported. "Zeke wants to win.'' Our reaction: The player and person we've gotten to know in Dallas since 2016? No argument there.

Two: " Zeke ... wants to be paid," Martin said. Our reaction? This is what Cowboys ownership (Jerry and Stephen Jones) were trying to tell us in our visits with them in Phoenix when they talked of not wanting to "insult'' the player with an offer - and therefore never made one.

Three: "Talking to GMs this morning as well,'' Martin said, "the market that Zeke wants just may not be there. They think he can be productive but that he's lost a step." Our reaction?

Video: "Two things are clear, Zeke wants to win and he wants to be patient.

"The market that Zeke wants just may not be there.", "They think he can be productive but that he lost a step."https://t.co/x73qRyyBvD

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 17, 2023

While the smart aleck in the Peanut Gallery might dismiss Martin's note as being "obvious,'' it is nevertheless significant because of the number of bogus reports (that we have our hands full debunking) that Elliott is "close'' to signing with Team X or Team Y or Team Z - an awful chain of misinformation that began when ESPN's own Adam Schefter botched a report that made it seems like the Jets, Bengals and Eagles were about to engage in a bidding war for his services.

We knew Schefter was wrong when he reported that a month ago. Now that a month has passed, we're still waiting for the ESPN apology.

Other reports have also been ... well, made up. Zeke, according to our conversations, was not "close'' to signing with either the Browns or the Chargers, as was reported Monday. (Again, Monday has come and gone, and therefore, "close'' is also gone.)

But this time, Martin (and not Schefter) is getting right for ESPN. The refections she's gathered mirror ours. The Cowboys released Elliott back in March both to clear up $10.9 million in cap space and to make an attempt to move on from a fading star. There is still time for things to change, for the Cowboys and elsewhere. But a lessened role, a significant pay cut and a "lost-a-step'' recognition are the realities. And Ezekiel Elliott - and his potential suitors - simply are not there yet.

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