Jones: No deadline for Zeke deal, even 'months into the season'

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones apparently won't be the first to blink in Ezekiel Elliott's holdout for a new contract.

Jones said Thursday he's confident a deal with Elliott will be done, but added he doesn't believe there's a time by which an extension must be agreed to, even if his star running back is still not with the team for the start of the campaign.

"I don't see a point," Jones said, according to ESPN's Todd Archer. "I don't see a point months into the season."

While Jones won't let any perceived deadline force his hand, he has no doubt Elliott will remain a Cowboy.

"When have I ever not done one?" he said.

Elliott reportedly wants to beat Todd Gurley's position-leading annual salary of $14.38 million.

But the Cowboys don't seem willing to meet that demand, as COO Stephen Jones said Wednesday that his team was "damn sure not going to be a market-setter" in deals for Elliott, quarterback Dak Prescott, and receiver Amari Cooper.

Moreover, Jerry appeared to send a message to Elliott by saying Monday that NFL teams don't need a "rushing champion to win a Super Bowl."

The 76-year-old Hall of Famer reiterated that philosophy Thursday, saying the Cowboys must be mindful of how the big-money contracts they hand out impact their ability to contend for a Super Bowl.

"As far as doing something that would disrupt and shake the base of our plans for how to keep the talent we've got here, I'm not about to shake that loose," said Jones.

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