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It seems like as soon as Elliott became a Dallas Cowboy there was a mad rush to start attempting to tarnish his luster. Allegations were made regarding a female companion and a domestic violence situation that allegedly occurred in February of 2016. Now the extensive investigation undertaken by the NFL appears to be winding down. The league, under pressure in light of the Ray Rice incident and others, has went to great lengths to complete a through and fair review of the situation.
The NFL’s interminable investigation into Ezekiel Elliott appears to be nearing a conclusion.
Sources confirm that representatives for the Cowboys running back and the NFL Players Association have turned over phone records and other documents to the league. Those acquainted with the process view this as one of the final steps on the way to a resolution, one that should come before the regular season begins.
The league’s investigation into allegations of domestic violence by Elliott is now in its 12th month. Commissioner Roger Goodell has publicly stated there’s no timetable, that the process is driven by the need to be thorough "and to come to the right conclusion.’’
Switzer Anxious to Play Alongside Beasley And "Create Mismatches" - Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com
There is a common belief that Switzer will be in competition with Cole Beasley for work at the slot receiver position. Dez Bryant and Terrance Williams are entrenched on the outside and that leaves only so much room inside.
Not so fast. There is a looming possibility that we may see packages featuring both men.
"We’re not through the playbook yet, but there’s obviously some personnel and formations that are really predicated on getting us both out there at the same time. I know Coach [Scott] Linehan has a plan for me and a plan for us. I’m ready to get out there with Cole and create some mismatches. - Ryan Switzer
There could be some options with both men working the inside of opposing defenses that would create nightmare situations for the other team.
VIDEO: Rod Marinelli: Off The Field Issues; Position Flex - DallasCowboys.com
Rod Marinelli is a no nonsense guy, and one heck of a football mind. It is always a treat to set down and listen to him share his opinions. In this video clip Coach Marinelli answers questions from the media after the Cowboys on the field work, and as always, Rod call's it exactly the way he sees it.
Hopes were high that Dallas would replace on DeMarcus (Ware) with the new DeMarcus that they drafted (Lawrence). So far those homes have not been realized. There have been glimpses of Lawrence's potential, but the veteran who is now entering his fourth season in the league believes he has much more to offer.
DeMarcus Lawrence believes he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber defensive end who can get double-digit sacks on a yearly basis. He just hasn’t played up to that potential.
At least not yet.
Lawrence is hoping his fourth season in the NFL becomes his breakout year. He’s spent the off-season focused on getting to his prime playing weight, and he is determined to show that last season was an aberration.
With his being in the final season of his rookie deal, there will never be a better opportunity for Demarcus Lawrence to close the deal on a nice payday by having a breakout year.
Jason Garrett taking team's off-field issues seriously - The Sports Xchange, UPI
The right kind of guy....you have heard it often enough. Those who follow the team know that it does not mean being a choir boy, but it does mean that a player does not allow what happens off the gridiron to hurt the team. Failed substance abuse tests, and now a DWI charge for new Cowboy Nolan Carroll, are having a negative impact on the squad and the Cowboys coach is addressing concerns head on.
"It's obviously a very serious issue. It's an issue that hits close to home to us," Garrett said. "It's something that we have to all learn from. He has to learn from it individually, we have to learn from it as players, coaches, staff members and everybody. ... We addressed the issue here like we have with other situations that have come up with our team and issues that have come up around the league.
"You address them head on. You do your best to solve the issue and learn from it and move forward."
The DWI issue is personal for Garrett and a lot of the older members of the organization. They are not far removed from Josh Brown's Intoxication Manslaughter conviction. The loss of one teammate and the incarceration of another makes this a touchy issue with the team.
In some ways it still does not seem real that Tony Romo will not be a part of the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, but that does not mean that he will not be helping the team out. His release will free up some money under the salary cap for the franchise.
So when the Cowboys released Tony Romo, they did so with the post-June 1 designation. That resulted in his $19.6 million cap hit being split into a $10.7 million charge in 2017 and an $8.9 million charge in 2018. But since his $14 million salary (and $24.7 million cap charge) remained on the books through June 1, the Cowboys will get as of Friday $14 million in cap space.
Guys who practice hard. Guys who play hard. Guys who are accountable to their teammates. Guys who are selfless in their approach.
That usually translates to good off-the-field character as well.
That doesn’t mean that mistakes won’t be made.
But rather than suggest that Garrett is being a hypocrite in the wake of defensive end David Irving’s four-game suspension for unknowingly ingesting a banned supplement in February and cornerback Nolan Carroll inexcusably being arrested for driving while intoxicated Monday, consider that this Cowboys team may fit its coach’s "right kind of guy" mold more than any other he’s ever had.
All is not perfect around the Star at this time of the year. There are issues that are being addressed. As was stated above, these Cowboys not choir boys and there will be problems. None the less, everyone is showing up for work and putting in the effort even though OTA's are 'voluntary'.
The players the front office has assembled are hungry. Twice in the past three seasons they got close enough to see their destination but were unable to get there. They are back and doing the right things to reach that point in 2017. That is what being the right kind of guy is all about.
Hill is correct; this may be Jason Garrett's "All RKG" team. They are doing what needs to be done, and that is what Garrett expects out of the right kind of guy.