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As the storm clouds gather around Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, his Cowboys teammates either know something the rest of us don’t or they’re in denial.

“He’s going to be there. That’s all I’m going to tell you,” wide receiver Dez Bryant said, via Todd Archer of ESPN.com.

At the moment, Bryant might appear to be the only one who thinks Elliott’s going to avoid any league punishment for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Or he would be if so many of his teammates weren’t also on that same train.

“I think we’re confident it’s going to work out, and he’s said it all along to us as teammates,” tight end Jason Witten said. “You know the guy’s a remarkable player. Big, strong, athletic; he’s smart, he’s tough. He’s good out of the backfield.

“That’s an area of strength of our team with those running backs, but certainly he’s one of the best in the league. You’d miss somebody like that if he is out, but we fully anticipate he’ll be out there and playing and continue to grow as a player on and off the field.”

Of course, the Cowboys are probably just taking their cues from owner Jerry Jones, who has said for months he does not anticipate a suspension for Elliott, stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident with an old girlfriend. Elliott has denied it, and no charges were filed by the Columbus, Ohio prosecutors.