NFL news and notes: Ezekiel Elliott gets his extension; Antonio Brown finally picks helmet

Kirstie Chiappelli

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NFL news and notes: Ezekiel Elliott gets his extension; Antonio Brown finally picks helmet image

The day before the start of the regular season was all about contracts, and there could be more to come this week.

Meanwhile, one player is taking the opportunity to remind people he's still looking for a job.

Three things that matter

Ezekiel Elliott ends holdout after getting Cowboys extension

Just hours after Jared Goff signed a record-breaking deal with the Rams, Elliott got the contract he's been holding out all offseason for — a six-year deal worth $90 million in new money that included $50 million guaranteed to make him the NFL's highest-paid running back. 

The 24-year-old returned to Dallas on Tuesday and was back at practice with the team Wednesday for the first time this year.

The Cowboys open the regular season against the Giants on Sunday.

Antonio Brown has his helmet, but is still left with fines

The Raiders receiver will wear a Xenith Shadow after previously sporting a Schutt AiR Advantage, which was no longer approved by the NFL because it was deemed outdated. Brown said the new helmet makes him feel "agile and comfortable" while also allowing for "better visibility."

Brown had filed two grievances against the league as he hoped to avoid wearing a new model, but he lost both hearings. Given he didn't have proper headgear until now, he's left with more than $50,000 in fines he racked up for missing mandatory team activities while the equipment debacle was ongoing.

Nick Foles dealing with abdominal soreness

Nonetheless, the Jaguars quarterback is still expected to be under center for Jacksonville's opener Sunday against the Chiefs, but his status is something to be monitored Thursday when the team resumes practice.

Foles was held to just 19 snaps in the preseason, all of which came during the third game against the Dolphins. Should his limited availability continue, though, the Jaguars only have rookie Gardner Minshew and second-year quarterback Chase Litton on the depth chart.

Two things that don't matter

Melvin Gordon trade market lukewarm

Maybe it's the high asking price, as the Chargers are rumored to be seeking a first-round pick and a fifth-round pick. But the running back hasn't garnered much interest beyond Philadelphia. 

The Eagles reportedly proposed sending Jordan Howard to the Chargers in exchange for Gordon and a swap of mid-round picks. However, this would cause the Chargers to take on some of Gordon's salary, so naturally, the team declined the lopsided trade.

Gordon will miss Week 1 against the Colts since he failed to report to the Chargers' facility this week, so we'll have to wait and see what happens in Week 2.

Atlanta "very, very close" to agreement with Julio Jones

The Falcons receiver never had plans to hold out but team owner Arthur Blank offered some assurance, saying he has every reason to believe the two sides will reach a deal soon.

"I’d be surprised and disappointed if we didn’t get it done this week. ... I think it’s very reasonable to assume it will get done this week," Falcons owner Arthur Blank told The Athletic.

Jones, who is set to earn $9.6 million in 2019, has two years left on the five-year deal worth $71 million he signed in 2015, though the expectation has long been that he will have a new contract in place before Atlanta kicks off the regular season Sunday against the Vikings.

One video you have to see

A shirtless Odell Beckham Jr. caught passes — including a couple one-handed beauties — from Colin Kaepernick in a video the former 49ers quarterback tweeted.

Wednesday's tweet of the day

Brown let the Raiders know exactly how he felt when he shared a screenshot of his fines to his Instagram story with the caption that read, in part, "when your own team want to hate but there's no stopping me now."

 

Kirstie Chiappelli