Dallas Cowboys: Is Ezekiel Elliott the odd man out?

Building a roster is easier said than done in the salary cap era. So much so, the Dallas Cowboys might end up having to let Ezekiel Elliott walk after 2020?

All the signs indicate that the Dallas Cowboys are going to sign defensive end, DeMarcus Lawrence, and quarterback, Dak Prescott, to long-term deals this offseason. With other valuable, young players on Dallas reaching the end of their contracts, will running back Ezekiel Elliott be left out of the fold?

The front office has said time and time again, they plan on signing Lawrence and Prescott to an extension this offseason. Even though Prescott still has one more year on his contract, the owner/general manager Jerry Jones says they want to lock their franchise quarterback in the summer.

Agree or disagree, I believe Lawrence and Prescott will both get contracts that will add up to around $50 million per year. So all the salary cap space the team currently has will shrink up in a matter of days.

After these two players, the Cowboys will still decide what their plans are for Elliott and wide receiver Amari Cooper. Together they would probably cost somewhere around $27 million, per Spotrac.

Make no doubt about it, Dallas might make some moves and clear up space to make it work. But, what if they are forced to extend either Cooper or Elliott? They should choose Cooper.

Both Elliott and Cooper are infinitely valuable to the squad. Without either player, the offense is stagnant. But at the end of the day, the passing game wins games.

Elliott is a better running back than Cooper is a wide receiver. Elliott is a top three rusher in the league, if not the best. But, in this league, if you cannot pass the ball, you will not win.

Also, the Cowboys can find a replacement for Elliott easier than they can Cooper. It takes about three years for receivers to really learn the game, and it is much more of a gamble taking a receiver in the draft than a rusher.

Think about the Denver Broncos last year. They picked up running back, Philip Lindsey, in free agency– he made the Pro Bowl. Think about the Kansas City Chiefs the year before that. The Chiefs drafted Kareem Hunt in the third round and disregarding some of the field issues, he has had a rather successful career.

It is easier for college running backs to enter the league and be productive than it is for receivers. It is just the nature of the position. Receivers deal with different types of coverages and cornerbacks than they ever faced in college. And they have to build chemistry with the quarterback.

The Cowboys can sacrifice some other players to keep Elliott. If they cut receiver Allen Hurns, linebacker Sean Lee, they would save $12 million. That might be the price to keep Elliott.

If the head coach, Jason Garrett, feeds Elliott the ball 30+ times per game, this will hint at the team’s future plans for the rusher– run the back senselessly for one season, and move on (much like how they played former Cowboys’ running back, DeMarco Murray).

The Dallas Cowboys have some salary cap space, but if they are not careful, they may be put into a tough position– one that might send the league-leading rusher out the door.

Who would you rather have on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster: Ezekiel Elliott or Amari Cooper? Do you agree with the philosophy to fully use up a running back on their rookie deal and move on to the next? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.