FRISCO, Texas – Add Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones to the list of officials who expect Ezekiel Elliott to be ready and available for the start of training camp this weekend.
Echoing comments from Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, Jones said Wednesday that he doesn't expect off-field allegations from last week to limit the rookie running back at the outset of camp this summer.
"I look at the facts that are there, and it doesn't appear to limit him relative to coming to camp, being involved in camp in any way at this time," Jones said.
Elliott landed in the news last Friday when he was embroiled in allegations of possible domestic violence against his girlfriend. In the time since, both Elliott and his family have attested to his innocence, and the Ohio State product has not been arrested or charged with any wrongdoing.
"We are looking at the same information that you have," Jones said. "We're privy to communicating with him and his family, and so we know and feel good about him being in training camp and being able to progress toward really helping us this year."
That should help offset some of the other news leading into the trip to Oxnard, Calif., which is that Randy Gregory will be unavailable while he undergoes drug rehabilitation.
Apart from that, though, it sounds like the Cowboys should have a relatively full contingent when they report for camp. Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones did raise eyebrows, however, when he was asked whether Rolando McClain would make the trip to California.
"That's another one that's a work in progress, and we'll leave it at that," he said.
McClain was suspended for 10 games back at the beginning of July, and there has been no shortage of speculation about his future with the team. As of last week, the Cowboys said they had no plans to cut him, but that could be dependent on the $750,000 in guaranteed money and whether the team can recoup the expense.
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