Dallas standout Elliott begins contract holdout
Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott, who has two years remaining on his rookie contract, began a holdout as the team opened training camp in Oxnard (Ventura County) on Friday.
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Elliott officially was a “nonreport.” Jones wouldn’t say whether the Cowboys are negotiating with Elliott’s representatives.
Elliott, 24, twice has been the NFL rushing leader — including in 2018 when he ran for 1,434 yards.
Elliott went through the entire offseason program without any issues but didn’t get on the team’s flight to California on Thursday and failed to report a day later. One of his representatives didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.
Elliott can be fined $40,000 for each day of training camp that he misses, under Article 42 and Section 1 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. And he would lose the opportunity to earn an accrued season if he doesn’t report by Aug. 6.
Elliott is due to make $3.9 million in the fourth year of his contract and $9.1 million in the final year, a team option.
New Orleans general manager Mickey Loomis declined to predict when wide receiver Michael Thomas, a holdout in the final year of his rookie contract, might be in camp.
Last season, Thomas led the NFL with 125 receptions and was sixth in yards receiving with 1,405.
“All these deals that are in the magnitude we’re going to be ending up at, it’s a negotiation, there’s a lot of give and take,” Loomis said. “He wants to be paid the value that he perceives himself. You don’t open up a book and there it is. You’ve got to determine what that is, and people have different viewpoints of it.”
Addition in Detroit: Defensive lineman Mike Daniels, a 2017 Pro Bowler who was released by Green Bay on Wednesday, agreed to a oneyear, $9.1 million deal that includes $7.8 million in guaranteed money, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported.
Daniels, 30, finished last season on injured reserve because of a foot injury.
Injury report: A day after New York Giants receiver Sterling Shepard suffered a broken thumb, the team lost wide receiver Corey Coleman to a seasonending torn ACL . ... Atlanta put defensive tackle Michael Bennett on injured reserve because of a broken ankle.
Briefly: Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead agreed to contract extensions through 2023 . ... Houston claimed former Cal wide receiver Chad Hansen, who had been waived by New Orleans . ... Miami signed former Jacksonville and Dallas wide receiver Allen Hurns to a oneyear, $3 million deal.