NFL Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott Wants New Deal With Cowboys Before Playing

Could there be another Le’Veon Bell situation in the NFL this season?

That seems to be the road Ezekiel Elliott is headed down, according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, who cited sources Tuesday morning. The Cowboys running back’s representatives reportedly told Dallas that Elliott does not intend to play this season until he has a new contract.

But, according to Anderson, the source doesn’t believe the holdout will reach the regular season.

“Elliott informed the Cowboys in January that he would not play without a new contract, the source said,” according to ESPN.

But during FOX Sports 1’s “Undisputed” on Monday, Eric Dickerson revealed he had been in touch with Elliott’s agent who said there was a possibility the 24-year-old won’t be on the field for Week 1.

Bell, who held out the entire 2018 as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers because they couldn’t come to terms on a new agreement, tweeted his support for Elliott.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said “we’ve been generous on our offer” to Elliott during an appearance 105.3 The Fan.

Elliott has been absent from training camp since it began, and has been in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. According to ESPN, if he is not in attendance for the Cowboys’ preseason opener Aug. 10, he could be fined around $226 thousand.

It certainly will be interesting to see how this all plays out and if Elliott indeed will ink a new contract before Week 1, or if NFL fans (and fantasy football team owners) will be forced to sit through another year of uncertainty surrounding a star player.