As most people know, star running backs of the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers, Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon, are both holding out seeking new contracts. Their situations aren’t exactly the same, as Melvin Gordon is entering the final deal of his rookie contract, as the Chargers picked up his 5th year option which is about 5.6 mil a year (a clear underpay for a player of Gordon’s caliber), while Zeke still has two years left on his deal. Both of these players contracts are extremely important for the future of the running back and the value they hold within the league.

If I were the Chargers…

As of August 9th, Melvin Gordon has not reported to camp, and will do whatever it takes to get his money, as he has expressed through his agent that he is willing to hold out into the regular season. The question of whether I would pay Melvin Gordon is…complicated, because both sides have compelling arguments. The reasoning for paying is pretty clear. The Chargers Super Bowl window is right now. Rivers is not getting any younger. Gordon missing time would significantly hurt the Chargers title hopes. They have a real shot here, and Gordon is the missing piece at the moment. Currently, the Chargers are offering 10 mil a year, while Gordon is seeking 13 mil a year, similar to what David Johnson received (3yr, 39 mil). That 3 mil salary per year could be the difference between winning the super bowl, and being a fringe playoff team. The Chargers have to ask themselves whether that 3 mil is worth it. But then again, I understand why the chargers are hesitant to pay Gordon. To begin, the running back position is the least valued position in the league. They are disposable at this point, used until they have nothing left. Time and time again, we have seen teams hand over big time money to running backs and see it backfire, either due to injury or them losing a step. Ask the Rams if they regret giving Todd Gurley that big contract (here is a hint: they do). Running back is both a position that isn’t sustainable on the body and is easily replaceable. Melvin Gordon in his career has shown zero ability to stay healthy, having missed games in every season of his career but one, and they have guys in Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson, who they believe are cheaper options who can feel the void left by Gordon’s absence. Some advanced metrics say that Ekeler is a better running back then Gordon anyway. So the question is, what would I do? After reviewing everything, I would have to make the tough call and not pay him. I get that Gordon is a great player and would increase the Chargers chances of winning it all, but capping the team with an injury prone running back doesn’t seem like a recipe for success.

What I would do if I were the cowboys…

Ezekiel Elliott’s case is pretty interesting as well. If you have watched the cowboys at all over the last couple years, you know that the cowboys entire offense revolves around Ezekiel Elliott. When Zeke was out with suspension, Dak looked like borderline starter. Zeke is the engine that runs the cowboys offense. Currently he is holding out, “training” in Cabo of all places. The question is why are the Cowboys so hesitant to pay arguably the best running back in the NFL? He’s a great player, he is only 24, about to enter the prime of his career. Well, there are two boulders standing in the way of Zeke’s big pay day. The first is his off the field issues. Since entering the league, Zeke has had a couple of off the field incidents that have caused him to miss games. It is difficult for a franchise to hand over millions of dollars to a guy when they can’t trust him. Hey, his dad did warn us, saying his son wasn’t ready for the NFL. It feels like every offseason of Zeke’s career, something has happened off the field, making it harder for the cowboys to commit. The other reason for the cowboys hesitancy is that they have other guys higher in the pecking order who need to get paid. Both Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper are entering the final year of their deals, and both are expecting big contracts. The cowboys front office has enough to worry about, and here is Zeke, with two years left on his deal, holding out. But at the end of the day, I would pay Zeke. The reasoning for not paying running backs are simple. They flame out by 30, they get injured, and they are easily replaceable. But Zeke is under that special category of guys who just can’t be replaced, especially for the Cowboys. He is also younger then Melvin Gordon who is 26, so they can give him a lengthy contract and still be protected from the 30 year old RB cliff. Zeke has also shown an incredible ability to stay healthy through his career. Overall, while not ideal with other big contracts looking, the cowboys NEED Zeke. Period.