Jerry Jones' bold new stance: Ezekiel Elliott should honor his Cowboys contract

FRISCO - Some times, Jerry Jones makes headlines. Other times, we're the ones who make 'em - or rather, "make 'em up.'' As it relates to the Ezekiel Elliott holdout, in a span of 13 hours, Cowboys Nation has experienced them both.

Contrary to the media's misinterpretation of what Cowboys owner Jones said after his team's final preseason game on Thursday night, Jerry is in no way conceding that Ezekiel Elliott will automatically miss Week 1 against the Giants.

Here's his full quote: "I'm operating as though right now he's going to miss regular season games. My entire expectation for what we're putting together as a team right now would anticipate with him holding out and not having made any of training camp that he's going to miss games. I just accept that.''

Translating Jerry? The Cowboys as a football team are preparing, game-planning, to play the Giants without Zeke ... But the ORGANIZATION is NOT. The organization is trying to SIGN him. Jerry is wearing two different hats here ... and the media -- either due to naivete or sloppiness or malice -- is massaging his message into meaning, "I am conceding that Zeke is out.''

That's not what he meant. That's not what he said. That's not what he will intentionally do. Coach Jason Garrett and his football team need to assume Elliott isn't going to be here because he hasn't been all training camp. ... and there is a game to win, with or without the two-time NFL rushing champ. But the organization -- Jones' wing of the building here at The Star -- needs to do everything they can to get him in the building and sign a new contract.

Ah, but now comes another wrinkle: Jones joined 105.3 The Fan's "Ben and Skin Show'' on Friday to issue a new proclamation (along with the new existing offer to Elliott that as we reported this week in our exclusive report is "Gurley-like'').

“If we do a new contract, what’s to assure us that this time next year or three months later, we won’t be talking about another contract? Jones said. "If we’re not gonna honor contracts?”

This is a different stance, and a new one. It is delivered along with Dallas' willingness to actually give the player a new deal ... but with a firm slap on the wrist, too. And, I'm happy to report, this bold new stance is very easy to interpret.