Video: Ezekiel Elliott Responds When Asked If He's Ready to Re-Join Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott had a brief response regarding his preparedness to play upon returning to Dallas for contract negotiations with the team. 

Elliott replied "I've been ready," when asked if he felt equipped to return to the team:

His agent, Rocky Arceneaux, spoke to reporters Tuesday and said discussions regarding a new deal are "very, very close" to reaching a conclusion, per WFAA's Mike Leslie:

Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reported Monday the Cowboys and Elliott's representatives were "closer on guaranteed money" but had some more work to do on his average salary.

The two-time Pro Bowler has been holding out in hopes of landing a long-term extension. He has two years remaining on his rookie deal and will earn a little over $17 million.

That's a relative bargain for a player who's one of the best at his position. Through his first three seasons, Elliott has run for 4,048 yards and 28 touchdowns. His 101.2 yards per game are the second-most in NFL history at the moment, trailing only Jim Brown (104.3).

Were he to play anywhere else on the field, Elliott might have been content to play out the remainder of his rookie contract and then get a pay raise in 2020 from either the franchise tag or a lucrative multiyear deal.

The generally low premium teams pay for running backs puts an added emphasis on Elliott getting paid now.

Le'Veon Bell was a good test case to see how an elite running back would fare on the open market. He got $52.5 million over four years from the New York Jets. That gave him more long-term security than he would've gotten from the Pittsburgh Steelers but didn't necessarily set a new standard in the way he had hoped.

Although Elliott is only 24, this could be his best opportunity to seriously cash out.

The Cowboys open the 2019 season Sunday at home with the New York Giants, leaving little time for the involved parties to hammer out the final details to ensure Elliott doesn't miss any meaningful action.

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