Ezekiel Elliott's contract situation is ripe for the stalemate that has become the 24-year-old's holdout from Cowboys training camp.
The running back, going into the fourth season of his five-year rookie contract (including the option Dallas picked up for 2020), will be severely underpaid in 2019 if he plays under his current salary. At the same time, the Cowboys are in a position that makes it tough to give in to Elliott's demands for a new contract.
Elliott has two years remaining on his current contract with the Cowboys, leading many to believe the team's priorities in terms of an extension should be quarterback Dak Prescott and/or wide receiver Amari Cooper, both of whom are entering the final seasons of their deals. But, as SN salary cap expert Jason Fitzgerald writes, if the Cowboys are set on giving Elliott a contract extension at some point, they might as well do so now rather than a couple years down the road.
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While Cowboys owner Jerry Jones claims his team is capable of winning a Super Bowl without one of the NFL's best running backs — a debatable theory at best — there is no debating that Elliott is just that: one of the best, if not the best running back in the entire league. In 2019, he is not being paid as such; hence the holdout.
Below is more explanation of Elliott's contract situation with the Cowboys, including why he is holding out of training camp and how much a top running back should be making. (Contract figures via Over The Cap.)
Why is Ezekiel Elliott holding out for a new contract?
Elliott last season led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,434 on 304 attempts, also a league high. His 95.6 yards per game ranked No. 1 in the NFL, and his 11 runs of 20-plus yards left him in a tie for second behind the Giants' Saquon Barkley (16).
Yet, in 2019, Elliott ranks 10th among running backs in terms of average annual salary. That number for Elliott is $6,239,086. The picture is even uglier when one looks at the base salary Elliott is set to earn in 2019. That number is $3,853,137. LeSean McCoy, who is in danger of being cut by the Bills, will almost double that cash income this season.
Elliott was selected by Dallas in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and first-rounders basically get one chance in five years to threaten a holdout. Further, Elliott plays running back, a position at which premiums paid are so high that star players are often viewed as bad investments. And, yes, there are those like Jones who question whether a star rusher is an essential element of a Super Bowl run.
So, in short, Elliott is taking the best, earliest chance he has to earn what he believes he is worth.
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How much does Ezekiel Elliott make per year?
The average annual salary in Elliott's rookie contract increased significantly when the Cowboys picked up his fifth-year option, which is scheduled to pay the running back a little more than $9 million in 2020.
Now Elliott's average annual salary is $6,239,085. Nine NFL running backs make more in average annual salary. According to Spotrac, Elliott's estimated market value is $9,459,152 per year.
Below is a breakdown of Elliott's year-by-year base salary figures.
| Year | Base salary |
| 2016 | $450,000 |
| 2017 | $1,584,379 |
| 2018 | $2,718,758 |
| 2019 | $3,853,137 |
| 2020 | $9,099,000 |
| Average | $6,239,085 |
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What is Ezekiel Elliott's salary in 2019?
As part of his rookie contract, Elliott is scheduled to make $3,853,137 in base salary for 2019, his fourth year in the NFL. That base salary ranks seventh among NFL running backs this year. In terms of total cash for 2019, Elliott's income ranks 11th among NFL running backs.
In addition to his base salary, Elliott is also due to earn a prorated bonus of $4,087,516 in 2019. However, only his base salary is guaranteed.
It's also worth noting that none of the money the Cowboys are scheduled to pay Elliott in his fifth season (2020) is guaranteed.
Who is the highest-paid running back in the NFL?
In terms of maximum value, average annual salary and practical guarantees, all NFL running backs are chasing Todd Gurley. The Rams star signed a deal last year that pays him $14,375,000 per year with $45 million in practical guarantees.
Including Gurley, only three NFL running backs earn eight figures in average annual salary. Le'Veon Bell, who signed a four-year deal with the Jets in 2019 free agency, makes $13,125,000 per year. The Cardinals are paying David Johnson an even $13 million per season.
Yet the Rams, Jets and Cardinals all have starting quarterbacks who are on rookie contracts, giving them the luxury of paying their star running backs on top-market contracts without compromising their salary-cap flexibility. The Cowboys, who by all accounts intend to pay Prescott soon, will no longer have this luxury.
Below are the NFL's 10 highest-paid running backs in terms of average annual salary.
| Rank | Player | Average annual salary |
| 1. | Todd Gurley | $14,375,000 |
| 2. | Le'Veon Bell | $13,125,000 |
| 3. | David Johnson | $13,000,000 |
| 4. | Devonta Freeman | $8,250,000 |
| 5. | LeSean McCoy | $8,010,000 |
| 6. | Saquon Barkley | $7,798,688 |
| 7. | Jerick McKinnon | $7,500,000 |
| 8. | Leonard Fournette | $6,786,894 |
| 9. | Lamar Miller | $6,500,000 |
| 10. | Ezekiel Elliott | $6,239,085 |