ARLINGTON, Texas _ When Jerry Jones says something he means it.
Or does he?
One of the Cowboys owner's famous quotes is, "just because I said it doesn't make it so."
So consider that when taking in Jones' latest in what has seemingly been an endless dialogue on the team's negotiations and hardline stance with holdout running back Ezekiel Elliott.
Though the Cowboys have had recent conversations with Elliott and his representatives, the two sides remain far apart.
And while there are still nine days to get something done before the Sept. 8 season opener against the New York Giants, Jones is not counting on it.
And at this point, he is expecting Elliott to not only miss the opener but multiple games in a contract dispute.
"I'm operating as though right now he's going to miss regular-season games," Jones after Thursday's 17-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the preseason finale at AT&T Stadium. "My entire expectation for what we're putting together as a team right now would anticipate with him holding out and not having any training camp that he's going to miss games. I just accept that."
Jones says there is no timetable or deadline to get a deal done with Elliott.
"We'll be needing Zeke," Jones said. "Anytime we can get him out there, we'll be needing him, so we don't have deadlines here."
Asked again about the Elliott situation and whether he was serious about planning on him missing games or still negotiating through the media, Jones acknowledged it was a little of both.
After missing all of the training camp and the preseason the Cowboys have to prepare as if Elliott won't be there for the opener. But Jones is also sending a message to Cabo, where Elliott has been training and holed up since the start of camp.
"We were negotiating and have been negotiating all the way up until we play the Giants and that's preparation," Jones said. "Up until we play and can't get prepared with Zeke, that's a part posture, that's a part of dialogue, discussion, conjecture, it's everything that has to do with words. But when we kick off and don't have our player then we have to play without any given player."
Elliott is already facing more than $2.5 million in fines for missing 37 days of camp and the preseason. Once the season starts he could be fined $226,000 for each missed games in addition to daily fines for missed practices.
Jones seems intent on holding the line with Elliott on the contract and the two-time NFL rushing champ appears to be dug in as well.
Elliott, who has two years left on his contract, believes he is the best running back in the NFL and wants to be paid like it. He has had more touches since being drafted fourth overall in 2016 than any running back in the NFL and has been the foundation of the team's offense.
The Cowboys have offered him a deal that would be second to that of Los Angeles Rams star Todd Gurley, who got $57.5 million over four years before last season. It included a $21,000,000 signing bonus, $45,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $14,375,000.
Vice president Stephen Jones promised Elliott a Gurley-esque deal but lowered the price when the New York Jets signed Le'Veon Bell to a lesser deal in March.
He has spoken to Elliott in recent days in to begin a last-minute uptick in negotiations before the opener. But Jerry Jones has not had direct contact with his star runner in months. And he seemingly doesn't plan to.
"Let me be real clear about something: I don't negotiate with players," Jerry Jones said. "I don't negotiate with players. I share with players my thoughts about our team and why I have the position I have and give them information as they're assessing their decision. My discussion with players is something no agent can have, nobody can have. It's from my perspective as the architect of the team. And so I'm trying to get any player to understand why I'm making the decision I am. And that's not negotiating. That's simply explaining what the position is. So I, in terms of what we're trying to do as a team, what we're trying to put together, those kinds of things, I have good communication that way whether it's direct or whether it's implication."
Asked why he wouldn't talk to Elliott directly, Jerry Jones said, "I don't need to. Not in this case. Zeke knows full well how valuable he is to our team. But he also knows because there's been a lot of games when he didn't play that he wants us to win if he's not playing. And we've got to be ready to win if he's not playing."
Jerry Jones believes the Cowboys are ready to start the season and get where they want to go regardless. He said his expectations for 2019 will not change if Elliott misses regular-season games. He said Elliott will show up at some point. But the season is going to start with or without him next Sunday against the Giants.
"No, he can't and won't miss them all," Jones said. "We need Zeke. We're a better team with Zeke, but we need to be able to win when we need to without players because of injuries, suspension or in this case, hold out. But as I've said this is a marathon. We have to be on the way to California, we'll have to burn some wagons for firewood, float the Mississippi River with some of the others but we've got to get the train to California no matter who's on it. So we're headed out there."
Is it a wagon ride, boat ride or a train ride?
And can you get to California from Cabo?
Only Jerry Jones knows
And can you believe what he is saying?
