Ezekiel Elliott isn’t going anywhere in 2022. That much was known last March.
The star running back’s six-year, $90 million extension signed in September 2019 included rolling guarantees through 2022 that vested at least a year in advance. Thus, Elliott’s base salary of $12.4 million for 2022 became fully guaranteed last March.
He made $9.6 million in 2021, ranking fourth at his position. For 2022, his base salary and his $18.2 million salary cap number are the highest among running backs, per overthecap.com.
Elliott will remain the Cowboys’ starting running back at least this season.
“I want that guy on my team,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Monday, via Todd Archer of ESPN. “You talk about playing through some injuries. He’s a competitor. I think he’s a damn good running back. . . . Obviously, his money is guaranteed. He’s going to be here. There’s no question. We’re fortunate to have him.”
Elliott played through a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament last season, rushing for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns on 237 carries while sharing the load with Tony Pollard.
Pollard is scheduled for free agency in 2023, so this time next year, the Cowboys will have to decide whether to keep Elliott at $10.9 million, to sign Pollard to a new contract, or to move on from both of them.
