Cowboys Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott's New Contract 'Not Close' Amid Renewed Talks

The contract standoff between the Dallas Cowboys and running back Ezekiel Elliott continues on, and the latest reports aren't promising.

According to Jane Slater of NFL Network: "A source informed tells me that while talks with Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott continued late Sunday, the deal is still 'not close.' When I asked what's holding it up, the answer was the same as last month: 'Everything.'"

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the Cowboys want Elliott on the field for practice on Wednesday as the two sides are making progress but "are not there yet":

There are conflicting reports, however, with more optimistic reports from the previous two days:

But Slater wasn't alone in hearing the two sides still faced a major impasse in negotiations:

Elliott's status remains the pressing concern surrounding the upcoming season in Dallas. While the Cowboys have Super Bowl aspirations, heading into the year without Elliott would be a major detriment to those goals.

The 24-year-old has been the focal point of Dallas' offense the past three years, accumulating 4,048 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns in 40 games. He's also registered 1,003 touches in that time. 

That's the crux of Elliott's argument—that the Cowboys rely on him extensively and he's responded with two Pro Bowl seasons and led the league in rushing twice. While he's under contract for two more seasons, Elliott is attempting to sign a lucrative contract extension that will guarantee him big money in the future now, while he's still healthy and his market value is highest.

If he waits and gets injured, his value will naturally decline, especially in an age where NFL teams have devalued the running back position and turned to backfield platoons. 

The Cowboys argument will be that Elliott is under contract for two more seasons and, as the NFL.com's Tom Pelissero reported, that they don't want to make him the highest-paid running back in the league and become market-setters for free agents. 

It appears Elliott is willing to miss time this season to get his long-term money. What's less clear is how close he and the Cowboys actually are to ironing out an agreement. On Sunday, it appeared as though they were close. On Monday, it's sounded as though they aren't. The clock is ticking.

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