Chris Long Believes Ezekiel Elliott Has Upper Hand in Contract Negotiations Over Cowboys

As the contract negotiations between Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys continue, there are many questions that arise. Will the star running back be under contract in time for the season-opening battle against the rival New York Giants? Will he be in danger of suffering a hamstring injury due to holding out? Is he worth a first-round pick in fantasy football?

While those questions are important, there is another that must be addressed. Who has the upper hand in these negotiations? With Zeke technically having two years left on his deal, it would appear that the team has more leverage, but former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long actually believes the opposite. As he explained to Sports Illustrated, Zeke actually has the upper hand at this moment, which will help him earn far more money.

“Well, I mean the Cowboys can’t win the Super Bowl without Zeke,” Long said. “I think the Cowboys are a relevant team in the Super Bowl conversation. I still think the Eagles are the team to beat in the NFC East, but the Cowboys are in the conversation if Zeke is healthy and present. I think there are, you know, question marks around their coordinator – a first-year guy – but they have the most to gain on offense. Their defense has been really strong the past couple years, but their offense has slowly slipped. I think Zeke has the upper hand, and I’m always about players going and getting their money.”

That being said, Long does hope that the deal gets done so he can watch one of the most electrifying players take part in the season. It would be a shame for Elliott to be gone in 2019 due to a contract issue. Additionally, he hopes that the Cowboys’ players are saying that Zeke needs to be present and playing like expected when week one rolls around. This team needs him in order to achieve their goal of winning a championship.

Considering that Long is a former member of the Philadelphia Eagles, it’s high praise that he views Elliott as one of the most electrifying players. After all, he spent two seasons trying to tackle the former first-round pick during rivalry games.

However, Elliott isn’t the only dynamic back that Long has faced off with in his career. The former Rams starter was teammates with Steven Jackson when the Oregon State product was in the prime of his career, and he also faced off against top talents such as Michael Turner, Adrian Peterson, and Chris Johnson. Long has seen his fair share of stars in the backfield.

Whether or not Long’s statement about Elliott having the upper hand is proven correct remains to be seen, but the Cowboys can’t really afford to test that theory. They need Zeke in the building and carrying this offense to victory on a weekly basis, which should lead to a massive payday.