Adam Schefter discusses upcoming contract situation for Dallas Cowboys, Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas saw their season end on Sunday night, once again dropping a playoff game to the San Francisco 49ers. Something that’s become the norm for the Cowboys, focus has already been shifted to what should be a busy offseason. One of the biggest questions revolves around running back Ezekiel Elliott.

Simply put — Elliott has one of the worst contracts in the NFL from a team’s perspective. He is scheduled to make $17 million next year but will be fresh off the worse season of his career. ESPN’s Adam Schefter explained how cutting Elliott would give general manager Jerry Jones salary cap room.

“The Dallas Cowboys will also have to make a decision about their running back, Ezekiel Elliott,” Schefter said during an appearance on SportsCenter. “Who’s scheduled to count $17 million against the cap this upcoming season. If they were to part ways, they would free up about $12 million — creating about a $5 million cap savings.”

Jones will not operate so cut and dry though, especially with players he has an attachment to. Elliott has been a fan favorite in Dallas at times, being a former top-five draft pick. There will still be options on the table where Elliott could return but Schefter says not at the $17 million price.

“It’s possible the two sides could agree on a reworked contract but certainly is not going to be returning to Dallas on a contract that would pay him $17 million for 2023,” Schefter said. “The two sides will have to sit down and figure that out. Especially with Tony Pollard, who fractured his fibula, scheduled to be a free agent and on that expiring contract.”

Pollard established himself as RB1 for the Cowboys this season and was on pace to earn himself a nice contract before suffering an injury on Sunday. He will still likely get paid and if it’s by Dallas, paying two running backs a good chunk of change is bad cap management.

A few career lows for Elliott came on the stat sheet this season. Yards (876), carries (231), yards per carry (3.8), yards per game (58.4), receptions (17), and reception yards (92). He is not the weapon Dallas once had and even signed to a long-term contract.

If we’re going to see Elliott in a Dallas Cowboys uniform next season, some kind of reworked contract will be coming this offseason. The running back’s play on the field has backed them up into a corner, leaving now option but to make some kind of move.