OXNARD, Calif. — Ezekiel Elliott missed his 10th day of Dallas Cowboys training camp on Sunday, but it’s not like the running back is out of sight, out of mind.
Quarterback Dak Prescott said he has talked with Elliott since camp started. Running backs coach Gary Brown has done the same.
Prescott, however, said he would not ask Elliott to report because the Cowboys need him.
“Friendship is friendship and business is business,” Prescott said. “You don’t cross those.”
At the start of camp, Elliott went to Cabo, according to sources, to work out. He went there during his six-game suspension in 2017 as well.
“Obviously we miss the player that he is, but I know that he’s getting better,” Prescott said. “I know that he’s working on his game. He’s in shape. He’s going to make sure that he comes back and when he’s back on this team he’s a better player than before camp or before the spring. He’s a good friend. Obviously want him out here, but that’s business.”
Brown said in the “couple” of conversations he has had with Elliott, “he’s doing what he needs to do and staying in great shape. I’m just looking forward to whenever he gets here. He’ll be ready to go.”
“I’m sure it’s killing him a lot [not being at camp],” Brown said. “At the end of the day he’s a ballplayer. A lot of this negative stuff you hear about him in the news, that’s not who he is. He’s a really good guy, care about his teammates, and it’s killing him not being here.”
The Cowboys continue to have discussions with the agents of Elliott, Prescott and receiver Amari Cooper about contract extensions. On Saturday, executive vice president Stephen Jones joked he could not get Elliott’s reps to call him back. He also added discussions with Cooper have not picked up since the New Orleans Saints signed Michael Thomas to a five-year, $100 million deal.
Elliott continues to be subject to a fine of $40,000 a day and the Cowboys can also come after a prorated portion of his signing bonus. If he does not report before the Aug. 10 preseason opener at the San Francisco 49ers, he could be fined a regular-season game check of roughly $226,000.
Speaking after Saturday’s practice, owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he remained positive deals with all three will come eventually.
“You just know like so many things it’ll happen. It’ll happen,” Jerry Jones said. “There literally is no concern on my part at all about any timeframe. That’ll happen. The results are too good for them and too good for the Cowboys. Think about it a minute. The results are too good for them and too good for the Cowboys. That always happens when it’s good for both [sides].”