Teammates understand Ezekiel Elliott has to do what he has to do

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Ezekiel Elliott skipped the team charter from DFW to California, but so did other players, team officials pointed out. While the other Cowboys players are expected to report on time for physicals and a conditioning test Friday morning, though, their star running back isn’t.

Elliott isn’t an official holdout yet, but chatter of Elliott not showing up on time began 10 days ago. So no one should be surprised if Elliott chooses to stay away, even after coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday he anticipated Elliott being with the team.

Elliott’s teammates understand Elliott has to do what he thinks he has to do to get what he wants.

“To me, this game is a business,” center Travis Frederick said. “Everybody has to treat it as such. I hold no hard feelings to anybody that is trying to do that and get the business done and protect their family. So for me, we are out here to work. We are going to work with the guys that we have. That is not a dig at anybody. That is how it works. Guys get hurt, and you don’t have them for practice. Guys get sick, and you don’t have them for practice. And some guys aren’t here because they are working through some of the business portions. You just deal with what you have.”

Frederick and linebacker Jaylon Smith talked to the media upon arrival at the Oxnard Residence Inn on Thursday, and both agreed that whatever Elliott does won’t be a distraction.

“‘I mean, I know I’m here,” Smith said. “That’s the beautiful thing. We’re a team, and we’re going to be together, and I love the hell out of Zeke.”

Elliott wants a new deal, and the Cowboys insist they will get one done with Elliott. Eventually. Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper have deals expiring after this season. The Cowboys picked up the fifth-year option on Elliott’s contract through 2020.

Frederick, who got a contract extension with the Cowboys during their 2016 training camp, expects everything to work out for his teammates.

“There’s a lot of stress that builds there when you’re in the last year of your contract,” Frederick said. “The way contracts work in the NFL, an injury could end your career at any time, and you’re not protected from that. So when you get a little bit of guaranteed money in a new contract, that definitely puts you more at ease and allows you to just go play a little bit. So getting those things done is helpful, but there’s a been a track record of getting those deals done at training camp. As long as I can remember, somebody’s got a deal done at training camp. So there’s a pattern of behavior there. Usually those things occur at this time, and also this time is a time when guys aren’t worried about all of that, because we’re just out here practicing.”