Ezekiel Elliott's agent, Rocky Arceneaux, said Tuesday evening that a deal between his client and the Dallas Cowboys is "very close," upon Elliott's arrival back in the country from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
"I think Zeke is showing he's committed by coming back to Dallas. We didn't come here not to do a deal," Arceneaux told reporters at DFW International Airport, adding: "We're talking. They're committed and we're committed. That's why we are here."
He said Elliott is in shape to play Sunday if a deal is reached.
At the airport, Elliott said he expects to play Sunday "if I have a deal." He also said he thinks the sides are close to an agreement and hopes it happens in the next day or two.
Jerry Jones indicated earlier Tuesday that the sides have made some progress in contract talks, saying that he was "hopeful" to have the star running back available to play in Sunday's season opener.
Jones, the Cowboys' owner and general manager, said his team is preparing "with the people that we have out here now" for its game against the New York Giants but also noted that it "would be great" if Dallas could include Elliott in its Week 1 game plan.
"We'll see how today goes," Jones told KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "We'll see how tomorrow goes. We'll see how the ensuing hours pan out."
The Cowboys on Monday signed right tackle La'el Collins to a five-year extension, which created $5.7 million in salary-cap space for the team this season, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.