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Despite some optimistic reports, negotiations between Jerry Jones and All-Pro running back Ezekiel Elliott are not progressing as rapidly as Dallas Cowboys, and Zeke’s fantasy football owners, would like.
The latest news about the negotiations say the Cowboys have not made Elliott any new offers, and that Jones is more concerned with the running back joining the team in time for the playoffs than he is for the regular season.
“We’ve got a marathon here. We want Zeke when we get to the playoffs. We want Zeke when we’re in the dog days of this season,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.
In a way, Jones holds all the cards in the negotiation, or at least he thinks he does, as Elliott is still signed through 2020.
“I don’t mean to be trite, but the whole premise is based on getting everybody under contract playing, so that’s what we’re trying to do here. Zeke’s under contract,” Jones told the media after the Cowboys’ Saturday night preseason game.
On Wednesday night, a story involving former Cowboys wide receiver and three-time Pro Bowler Dez Bryant surfaced and went viral because it allegedly revealed the shady tactics Jerry Jones uses when negotiating with some of his players.
After the 2014 season, as Bryant was looking to sign a new deal with the Cowboys (he ended up with a five-year, $70 million contract), Jerry Jones reportedly tried to circumvent Bryant’s agent in the negotiations, according to the new editor-in-chief of FanSided.
Cowboys have been bypassing agents (and breaking rules by doing it) for years. The late, great Eugene Parker told a funny story about Jerry talking directly to @DezBryant at one point. Dez has a great reaction to Jerry, from what I was told.
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) August 29, 2019
So the story from the late Eugene Parker is that Jerry Jones called @DezBryant and asked Dez to meet him at Cowboys Stadium. They were in Jerry's suite looking over the field and Jerry was talking about the contract with Dez. At that point, Dez says …
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) August 29, 2019
Something to the effect that he doesn't want to talk contract between just the two of them. Jerry pushes a little. Dez says, "Mr. Jones, what would happen if you tried to cover me on that field," pointing down to the field. Jerry says, "Well, Dez, you'd kill me." Dez says …
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) August 29, 2019
"Well, Mr. Jones, then why would I want to negotiate a contract against you?" Pretty classic. Parker laughed pretty hard. I've had three other agents say the same type of story.
— Jason Cole (@JasonCole62) August 29, 2019
Pretty shady, but very Jerry.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1167013726018527232And is case you doubt the veracity of Cole’s story, Dez Bryant himself is here to set you straight.
This is a fact.. 100% correct https://t.co/fg5w0X86bQ
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) August 29, 2019