Would Ezekiel Elliott still be with the Dallas Cowboys if he took less than $3 million?

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is taking the field on Sunday as a member of the New England Patriots in a homecoming at AT&T Stadium.

But there was a scenario in which Elliott could still be in a Cowboys uniform.

Elliott signed with the Patriots on Aug. 16.

But during the months after being cut by the Cowboys on March 15 due to a decline in production and a $16.7 million salary hit for 2023, including a $10.9 million base salary, his former employer did reach out a couple of the times to check the temperature on his free agent options and salary demands.

Although the Cowboys did not offer Elliott a pay cut when they released him, owner Jerry Jones said for months he refused to close the door on Elliott coming back.

According to a source, the Cowboys may have been amenable to an Elliott return if he could be had for less than $3 million dollars.

Elliott’s one-year deal with the Patriots was initially reported by ESPN as a one-year deal with a $3 million base salary and a $1 million signing bonus that can be worth up to $6 million with incentives.

According to spotrac.com, Elliott got a $1.55 million salary with $1.1 million guaranteed ($600,000 signing bonus plus $500,000 of salary). He got per game active bonus of $50,000 up to $850,000 and he got playing time Incentives of $300,000 each for 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70% of the snaps.

And he got total yards Incentives of $300,000 each for 1,100, 1,225, 1,350 and 1,475 yards.

Elliott has played in every game this season for the Patriots and has 28 carries for 122 yards and 6 catches for 21 yards in his first three games before Sunday.