NFL roundup: Ezekiel Elliott, Muhammad Wilkerson and more
Ezekiel Elliott is already leading the NFL in jersey sales before playing a game.
The Dallas Cowboys are America’s Team, and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott is apparently America’s favorite player. Elliott, who is yet to play a single snap in the league, is leading the sport in jersey sales since being drafted, according to ESPN.
Elliott is going to be the starting running back in a loaded offense that includes Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Tony Romo. Considering he plays with the star on his helmet, Elliott’s popularity level won’t be going anywhere but up provided he plays good ball come September.
Meanwhile, the New York Jets are in the news on two fronts. On the good side, defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson says he will be ready for Week 1 after breaking his leg against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 of last season, according to NFL.com. Wilkerson signed a five-year, $86 million deal on Friday at the franchise tag deadline and is the best player on Gang Green. Having him back for the full season would be an enormous boost.
On the side of bad news, there is no contract movement with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. If Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is correct, don’t expect any talks to move forward soon. Despite being a free agent, most have believed Fitzpatrick will eventually return to Gotham, but things are looking worse by the day. The Harvard product recently put his home up for rent in Chatham, N.J., and then there was talk about whether he gained a ton of weight this offseason.
Speaking of quarterbacks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller Jameis Winston is looking good. Winston, who had a Pro Bowl rookie season, was criticized at times for being a tad overweight. On Wednesday, an Instagram post showed how much the youngster has toned up. This is great news for the Buccaneers, with Winston appearing to be very serious about getting into peak physical condition.
Finally, the Arizona Cardinals are getting good news from receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The future Hall of Fame receiver says he’s not ready to hang up the cleats just yet, proclaiming he has more football left in his 36-year-old body, per NFL.com. The Cardinals have Super Bowl aspirations in 2016, and will need Fitzgerald to help lead the way for a franchise that has not won a championship since 1947.