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Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now? Part 1 (Ezekiel Elliott)


The_Slamman

Should Zeke be cut before the 2022 season?  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. Should Zeke be cut before the 2022 season?

    • Yes. Zeke’ s days are behind him and he’s no longer worth his contract. His production is replaceable.
      8
    • No. He will count the same against the cap if he stays or goes. He’s still very good. He’s still serviceable.
      8
    • Wait until after the draft to make a decision.
      1


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As must of you know, the cowboys are already projected to be $14M over next year’s cap.  Of course, the cowboys could get under the cap by restructuring high contracts and extending cap hits against future caps.  For example, we’d save about $14M against the cap by converting Dak’s base salary into signing bonus next year.  The downside is Dak would account for $50M against the cap in 2023 and increase dead money on Dak’s void years of contract.  Same could be done with Lawrence, Martin, Smith etc.  But as we know, all that restructuring comes at a cost and it rarely works to our benefit.

Additionally, the Cowboys have numerous FAs that had significant playing time this year including Gregory, Schultz (seemingly the only offensive weapon who is truly in sync with Dak), LVE, Kearney, Neal, Kazee, williams, Gallup, Cedrick Wilson, Armstrong, Hooker and Urban.  
 

This will be a 2 part series… first, let’s focus on players who are or should be on the chopping block.  Next, let’s look at players who should be brought back and for what price.

 

let’s start with Zeke.  
 

the argument for keeping Zeke is quite simple… cutting does not save us any money against the 2022 cap.  Zeke cap number is $18M.  Of that $18, he’s already been paid nearly $6M.  The other $12M is full guaranteed.  Cutting Zeke before June 1 would actually cost the cowboys an additional $12M against the cap.  Cutting Zeke after June 1 does NOT save any money on the 2022 cap, but would save $11M on the 2023 cap.  Additionally, while Zeke isn’t what he once was, he still finished 7th in the nfl in rushing and added nearly 300 receiving yards.  And, he is still elite in pass protection.

 

the argument for cutting Zeke is a little more nuanced.  It would be more of a message to his teammates than anything else.  Very simply… anyone is replaceable if you don’t play up to your contract.  
 

So, should Zeke stay or should he go?

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I can’t imagine he’s not staying put.
 

But, if they get aggressive (which I’m all for) post 6/1 cut Cooper and Tyron, they could move on from all 3 and still clear about $25m in cap space. 

Regardless of his contract though, Pollard needs to be getting more touches.

fwiw…It’s beyond mind numbing Zeke was even allowed to play given his health. 

Edited by WizardHawk
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Zeke has now lost pretty much any ability to “make ya miss.”  He is strictly a battering ram.  Don’t get me wrong, there is a place in the NFL for battering rams.  But, battering rams do not take the pressure off the QB in the sense that a check down to Zeke doesn’t scare the defense.  A screen to Zeke doesn’t scare a defense.  A zone run with Zeke doesn’t scare a defense.  One way to make defenses slow the pass rush is to have a RB who can make people miss and turn a mundane play into something big.  We never put the same kind of pressure on Jimmy G as the 9ers put on Dak because he had to respect their run game and Deebo made us miss for big plays.  

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Absolutely insane that $18M of our cap is going to a freaking second contract runningback, when we invested a bunch of money and draft capital on the offensive line so that we wouldn’t be reliant on a runningback in the first place.

What an absolutely stupid decision that was and continues to be.

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Cut him in 2023. Cost too much to cut him now. Pollard gets more touches ASAP. And DAK needs to stop overthrowing ZEKE! He throws it either ahead of him or up high...someone needs to get in his FACE. Bring KITNA back to put a fire on his ***. 

Edited by atran35
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I’d strongly consider releasing him after June 1 depending on how the draft works out. I honestly don’t expect his production next season to be what it was this year, let alone better. His production has declined for the last 3 seasons, so I think that his best years are behind him and he’s become a liability as a RB. RBs are fungible. It may be time to move on.

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I have a hard time justifying paying more money (than what he is already owed next season) for him not to play for us. Unless his deal has some sort of off-setting language in it. 

Moving on from Zeke is a year too early. 

I do hope this also sets the right expectations with everyone about re-signing Pollard. Let runners get a second contract with another team. 

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17 hours ago, BigD88 said:

Absolutely insane that $18M of our cap is going to a freaking second contract runningback, when we invested a bunch of money and draft capital on the offensive line so that we wouldn’t be reliant on a runningback in the first place.

What an absolutely stupid decision that was and continues to be.

Ironically, the o line isn’t that great either 

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1 hour ago, Texas_OutLaw7 said:

I have a hard time justifying paying more money (than what he is already owed next season) for him not to play for us. Unless his deal has some sort of off-setting language in it. 

Moving on from Zeke is a year too early. 

I do hope this also sets the right expectations with everyone about re-signing Pollard. Let runners get a second contract with another team. 

I’d rather dump a player a year early than a year late, especially at the RB position.

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