Ezekiel Elliott gets bad news from NFL executives
This doesn't bode well for his future NFL plans.
The Football Feed
In case you haven't heard due to living in a cave for the past several months, the Dallas Cowboys made the decision earlier this year to cut ties with former 1st round draft pick Ezekiel Elliott. The former 2016 Round 1 Draft selection out of Ohio State is now officially looking for a job elsewhere.
And while you'd think that Elliott would have no trouble finding a new team, there's the uncomfortable fact that he's been dealing with several injuries combined with his having posted career low numbers last season.
And this may be the key reason why exactly zero NFL teams have made him an offer, much less even brought him to town for a workout session. According to ESPN's Kimberly Martin, executives across the League reportedly believe that Elliott has "lost a step".
“So, Zeke he actually is like Ndamukong Suh,” Martin explained during a May 16, 2023 edition of “NFL Live.” “He is prepared to take his time, not as much time though as Ndamukong Suh. Listen, I’ve made calls all morning. Two things are clear: Zeke wants to win and he wants to be patient.
“He knows this is a big decision. However, talking to GMs this morning as well, the market that Zeke wants just may not be there. They think he can be productive but that he’s lost a step.”
This echoed what Tampa Bay Bucs running backs coach Skip Peete had to say about Elliott having to agree to a massive pay cut.
“I think he would be good in any situation, I’m just not sure exactly how the dynamic of explaining to him that, like I told him, I said, ‘You’re gonna play for a million dollars,'” Peete said earlier this month. “And I think he was making like [$12 million]. So, I mean, who’s gonna be the one to tell him that?
It sounds as though if Elliott wants to continue his NFL career, he'll have to eat some humble pie and accept a far less lucrative contract than what he's been accustomed to.