Dallas Cowboy fans should be excited about the fact that they are loaded with young talented players. Instead of excitement though, Cowboy fans are constantly worrying about the salary cap and which players they can and cannot afford to extend for the future. Three players in particular are at the center of this concern; Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper. All three players are due extensions but none of them have signed a deal to date. Prescott and Cooper are playing on the last year of their contracts so their new deals have more urgency but rumours of an Ezekiel Elliott holdout have caused a stir among Cowboys faithful. Many fans feel that Ezekiel Elliott is the most valuable player on this team and for that reason deserves to be paid first. That despite Zeke having 2 years left on his current contract. The Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott, and Ezekiel Elliott contract extension situation is the biggest story for the Dallas Cowboys heading into training camp. So who should get paid first? Who is the most valuable player out of three? No disrespect to the wide receiver who helped turned the season around for the Cowboys in 2018, but the answer lies between Dak and Zeke. Here is breakdown consisting of 5 separate criteria to determine the answer.
BEST PLAYER
Dak Prescott has had a remarkable run for a 4th round draft pick. He has delivered 2 division titles and won a playoff game but is often discredited by both media and fans. Still even his most staunch supporters cannot truthfully admit that he is best at his position in the entire league. Not when the Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Russel Wilson (just to name a few) are among his peers. The same cannot be said about Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke is one of, if not the best, running backs in the game. He is a three down workhorse back and possesses the total package skill set of runner, receiver, blocker. Elliott led the league in rushing in 2016 and 2018 and finished top 10 in rushing despite playing in only 10 games in 2017. Elliott has elite speed and power that make him a generational talent and the best offensive player on the Dallas Cowboys. ADVANTAGE ZEKE: Dak Prescott 0 Ezekiel Elliott 1
MORE IMPORTANT POSITION
The running back position is often downplayed in today’s passing NFL and yet most often the team that runs the ball better is victorious. A workhorse back like Zeke is heavily involved in the offense. He will touch the ball 25-30 x’s per game, set up the passing game through play action, and chip in as a blocker. Despite all he does, the quarterback has the ball in his hands every single down and never comes off the field. The quarterback is in charge of play-calling, reading the defense and making adjustments, and uses his arms and his legs to make plays on the field. Quarterback is the most important position on the field and Dak Prescott is the quarterback. ADVANTAGE DAK: Dak Prescott 1 Ezekiel Elliott 1
IMPORTANCE WITHIN THE OFFENSIVE SCHEME
Every team has an identity and each offense has it’s own unique scheme that fits within that identity. The identity of the Dallas Cowboys offense is rooted in running the ball behind their talented offensive line. Because the running game is so crucial to how this offense functions and Dak Prescott is at this point in his career more of a game manager, Ezekiel Elliott has more importance within the Cowboys offensive scheme. ADVANTAGE ZEKE: Dak Prescott 1 Ezekiel Elliott 2
REPLACEABILITY
The Dallas Cowboys know what it’s like to be without Ezekiel Elliott and it is not pretty. The Cowboys went 0-3 during the first half of Elliott’s 6 game suspension in 2017 but that did also coincide with injuries to Tyron Smith and Sean Lee. Since then the Cowboys have actually gone 4-0 without Ezekiel Elliott in the lineup. Cowboy fans have not had the opportunity to see what it would be like to have to play without Dak Prescott but I for one would not like to find out. The truth is, even though Ezekiel Elliott is a transcendent talent, a suitable replacement can be found that the drop off would be manageable. The same would not be true if Dak Prescott were to miss any time. Look no further to the 2015 Cowboys with Matt Cassell and Brandon Wheedon. Those guys did not have Ezekiel Elliott but they had a decent ground game and still were unable to perform. There are just not enough decent QB’s available for every NFL team. There are however, plenty of running backs who could step in as rookies, or free agents right off of the street (C.J Anderson for the Rams last season) , and play well. Then of course longevity plays into this issue of replaceability, Cowboy fans need to ask themselves this question: Who will be more valuable in 5 years? ADVANTAGE DAK: Dak Prescott 2 Ezekiel Elliott 2
INTANGIBLES
Ezekiel Elliott is an immensely gifted player, a former college national champion, and a team leader. Despite that he has been involved in some questionable off the field behaviors and has shown a tendency to give up on plays when his team is getting beaten. In contrast, Dak Prescott says and does all the right things off the field and seems to have the complete faith and trust of the his teammates on the field. There are many people who criticize Prescott for his skill as a passer and as a decision maker but no one can call into question his desire and effort. ADVANTAGE DAK: Dak Prescott 3 Ezekiel Elliott 2
WINNER: DAK PRESCOTT
So in conclusion, Ezekiel Elliott may be the most talented and best player on the Dallas Cowboys but Dak Prescott is the most important player for this year and beyond. In regards to the Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott contract negotiations, Dak Prescott should be the priority over Ezekiel Elliott.
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode