'I Control What I Can Control': Ezekiel Elliott Speaks Frankly About Cowboys Future

Does running back Ezekiel Elliott fit into the long-term plans for the Cowboys? Elliott speaks out.

FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been the subject of contentious conversations between fans for the last few seasons. Once a fan favorite and top-five running back in the league, Elliott's performance and effectiveness have been questioned over the past couple of years.

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And with what some feel is a better option behind him in Tony Pollard, Elliott's future with the Cowboys seems in question.

But there's just one problem. Contrary to popular belief, Elliott is not a free agent anytime soon. On Sept. 4, 2019, Elliott and the Cowboys agreed to a six-year, $90 million contract that keeps him with the Cowboys through the 2026 season.

There is, however a potential "escape hatch'' for Dallas after the 2022 season, when the Cowboys could release Elliott for an $11,860,000 dead cap hit. That's not an ideal situation, but Dallas is used to dealing with cap issues. And it would save the team almost $5 million in salary for 2023.

Elliott is due $64,760,000 in salary from 2023 to 2026, but the total cap hit for Dallas is just $19,620,000 through the 2026 season if he's gone after 2022.

A little math tells us Dallas will save just over $45 million over four seasons without Elliott.

Elliott this week addressed the media about his mindset as he enters his seventh season with the Cowboys.

“I control what I can control," Elliott said. "I focus on what’s in the near future. I’m not really worried about what’s going to be going on after next season unless we’re going on to winning the Super Bowl."

Elliott's perceived decline can be attributed to a number of things. Injuries to the player and key players on the offensive line are just a couple. But does it mean Elliott's time in Dallas should be done?

Elliott still rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2021. And while that's not as impressive in a 17-game season as it was in previous 14-game and 16-game seasons, it's still something a lot of running backs in the league can't boast. 

Elliott was a Pro Bowler as recently as 2019 and has never averaged below 4 yards per carry in his career for a season.

Should Elliott be allowed to potentially be a part of the Cowboys' future success? Probably. Will he? Probably not - or, at least not under this present contract.

After all, the NFL is a business. And financially, continuing Zeke at this price? That wouldn't be good business. And Elliott knows that.

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