Ezekiel Elliott's Massive Contract Could End After 4 Years and $50 Million

When the Dallas Cowboys were initially negotiating Ezekiel Elliott's deal, team owner Jerry Jones said that he didn't want to "set the market" with the upcoming contract extension. Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams had done just that with his four-year, $57.5 million deal that included $45 million guaranteed. But Jones didn't want to keep driving up the number with Zeke's contract. Right now, it appears that he failed in that goal.

Wednesday morning, the Cowboys and Elliott agreed to a whopping six-year, $90 million contract that includes $50 million guaranteed and an average salary of $15 million. It appears at first glance that the team did go against Jones' wishes and set the market with the extension, but there are other factors in play that could ultimately benefit the Cowboys instead of Zeke down the road. The initial total value of the contract currently sits at eight years and $103 million when combined with the remaining time on Zeke's rookie deal, and yet Dallas could realistically cut the deal short after four years and only give up $50 million, per Clay Travis of Outkick the Coverage.

Depending on how the guarantees play out, it's possible that releasing Zeke after only four seasons could be done without hurting the team's salary cap. Dallas may have front-loaded the contract to pay more upfront while leaving room for changes to be made in later seasons. Unfortunately, details surrounding the signing bonus and the total money guaranteed at signing have not been released just yet.

As of right now, the Cowboys could not release Zeke – if they felt the need – during the first few years of his contract without suffering a massive penalty against the salary cap. The team would lose a considerable amount of money, as well as a talented player.

Granted, if Zeke continues to lead the league in rushing while helping the Cowboys reach the playoffs, there is little doubt that they will keep him on the roster as long as possible. Jerry Jones has shown in the past that he is willing to stick with the players on his team for a very long time, and he is likely to do so with Elliott.

Ultimately, the primary factor in whether or not Zeke remains with the Cowboys throughout the entirety of his contract extension is his ability to contribute on the field. Off-the-field incidents could play a factor, but the Cowboys have stuck with Zeke in the past throughout his legal troubles and will continue to do so in the future. No, his future will ride on how he produces on the field over the coming years.

Photo credit: Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Image