Greg Ellis Wants Out of Dallas

Cowboys Defensive End Greg Ellis doesn’t know where he will be playing in 2006, but he does know, Dallas is no longer a perfect fit for his talent.

Speaking at McDonald’s Scholar Athlete Banquet, hosted by WFAA Sports Director Dale Hansen, Ellis said, “There's some controversy between me and the Cowboys whether I'll be here next year, but due to the fact that 'm here with him (referring to Dale Hansen) and what he just said, I think its going to be resolved pretty fast,” he said with a laugh.

Ellis just completed his 8th season with the Dallas Cowboys, but his playing time became less and less as the season wore on. Now, his future is uncertain.

Said Ellis, “I don't know, I just know and go off the facts, and the facts are this year, the world has to agree, my future doesn't look like its going to be with Dallas.”

Even before training camp, Ellis expressed frustration when the Cowboys changed to a 3-4 defense, a move that requires him to face tackles who outweigh him by more than 40-pounds. He still recorded 8-sacks this year, one shy of his career high before his playing time was reduced.

“One year in the 3-4 isn't going to be enough to really say, you gave yourself a fair and honest chance,” says Ellis. “So I think obviously, they need to stick with it, and I think they're going to stick with it, and if they do, I don't fit it.”

As for Parcells’ future with the team, he says, “Bill Parcells, knows what he wants to do, I don't but I think he definitely needs to stay and jerry needs to stick with him, and you don’t get rid of the 90-percent of the pie, I'm that 10-percent.”

Ellis isn’t angry with the Cowboys, but its obvious he would like to leave. If he does, he wants to leave on good terms. “Its not like I'm a big problem,” he says, “not at the latter end where I'm making four or five million dollars a year, so that's not a topic, that's why you have to realize, when its up its up, and don't be afraid, or be blind to the fact as I like to say, to see it when you see it, as bill put it, how many times do you have to smacked in the face by a skunk, to know that it stinks.”

Ellis was the 8th overall pick in the 1998 draft and still has four years left on his contract, but a lot has changed since he arrived here, and the biggest change for him, may well be coming this off season.