Ezekiel Elliott Would Be Insane Not to Accept Reported Cowboys Contract Offer

The Dallas Cowboys have been working on a deal for Ezekiel Elliott for much of the offseason, and it was reported Thursday that they offered the star running back a deal that would make him the second-highest paid player at the position.

The 2018 rushing leader has been holding out from the team as he awaits his new deal, but the reported offer should be more than enough to get the 24-year-old back in the practice facility.

Elliott's deal would see him earn somewhere between Le'Veon Bell's $13.125 million annual salary and Todd Gurley's $14.375 million average annual value. Realistically, the Cowboys could hold off paying Zeke for another season, considering he still has two years remaining on his rookie contract. Paying him big bucks now and locking him down for the future would be a perfect resolution for both sides.

The Cowboys also have to lock up the contracts of Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper, and while Jerry Jones did claim that there was still "pie" left for extensions, Elliott should be willing to sacrifice a bit of money to help the team contend for a Super Bowl.

After Jaylon Smith inked a five-year, $64 million contract, Jones' comments suggested that the linebacker accepted a team-friendly deal in order to help fortify other positions on the roster. It seems as if Jones is encouraging Elliott to do the same in his own negotiations.

Zeke has emerged as arguably the best running back in the league, and the Cowboys are going to pay him as such. If Elliott doesn't take this deal and continues his holdout, he's out of his mind.

The 24-year-old is getting the lucrative offer he deserves, and even if he wants a deal bigger than Gurley's, at this point he needs to put the team first. If the Cowboys hope to extend all of their young core, Zeke may have to sacrifice a few million dollars.