tr1
January-22nd-2008, 08:13 AM
I hope Jerruh signs them all up for long, long contracts... :laugh:
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=9ECF11C7-EC5D-F1E7-BFB2620BA08348AD
IRVING, Texas - As just two teams remain in the hunt for the Super Bowl trophy, the rest of the NFL has already moved on to its off-season plans.
Despite being the favorite to get out of the NFC and advance to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona in two weeks, the Cowboys find themselves among the 30 teams whose season ended earlier than desired.
So instead of getting ready for a trip to the Super Bowl, the Cowboys must watch their division rivals, the New York Giants, get ready for a showdown with the Patriots, who look to become the first team in 35 years to have an undefeated NFL season.
The Cowboys were one of the three teams the Giants defeated on the road to the big game. After rolling past the Bucs in the wild-card game two weeks ago, the Giants stunned the Cowboys 21-17 in the divisional round before Sunday's 23-20 overtime win over the Packers.
The last team to defeat the Giants just so happens to be the Patriots, who survived a Week 17 match-up in the Meadowlands with a 38-35 win to complete their perfect regular season.
The Cowboys were hoping all along they would get the chance to avenge a loss against New England, which beat the Cowboys 48-27 back in October. But now it's on to the off-season for the Cowboys, who have several tough decisions to make.
Figuring out the coaching staff appears to be the biggest priority at the moment, with the Cowboys already losing Tony Sparano to Miami as the Dolphins' new head coach. The question now is how many assistants, if any, Sparano takes with him to the Dolphins. It has been speculated that Cowboys secondary coach Todd Bowles will likely join Sparano, and possibly linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers as well. The contracts of all three coaches officially expire Tuesday, the first day they can negotiate with other clubs.
Once all the dominoes on the coaching staff begin to fall and eventually get sorted out, the Cowboys will be able to direct their focus on the players.
While the Senior Bowl and scouting combine will give the Cowboys and the rest of the league a chance to scout the upcoming draft prospects, free agency comes first. And if the Cowboys can take care of their needs in the free-agent signing period, which begins Feb. 29, they can approach the draft with the "best-available player" mindset as they did last year. And remember, the Cowboys have two first-round picks this year, acquiring Cleveland's first-round selection in a draft-day trade last year.
But let's take a closer look at free agency.
Before the Cowboys can take a look at players from other teams, they must address their free agents from within. Of the Cowboys' 15 free-agents-to-be, they have six unrestricted, five restricted and four exclusive rights free agents.
Here's a list of each group of free agents and their possible future with the Cowboys or another team.
Unrestricted Free Agents (6)
(If a deal is not reached before Feb. 29, the players can negotiate with any other club without compensation.)
LT Flozell Adams - The 10-year veteran might have a false start penalty here and there, but he also has proven to be a dominating left tackle. Yes, the Cowboys have three young tackles in Pat McQuistan, Doug Free and James Marten, but Adams isn't slowing down any. He has made the Pro Bowl in four of the last five years and arguably just had his best season of his career in 2007. The question won't be if the Cowboys want him back, but just how much they pay him and for how long. If the club can get a three- or four-year deal, the Cowboys would love to have him back. But the Cowboys also shelled out $67.5 million to Tony Romo this past fall. They may not be ready to let just anyone block for his blindside. Look for Adams and the Cowboys to find a right price for him to continue, and possibly finish, his career in Dallas.
S Ken Hamlin - When he signed a one-year deal last March, Hamlin bet on himself that he could play well enough in 2007 to land a bigger payday down the road. He won. Not only that, he will be starting in the Pro Bowl next month. That should land him a nice, big contract and look for the Cowboys to be the team giving it out. They've been looking for a solid free safety for years and Hamlin provided not only that, but leadership on defense as well.
RB Julius Jones - Had the lowest rushing total of his career, gaining only 588 yards. Although he started all 16 games, he played behind Marion Barber for most of the season. And with Barber, a restricted free agent, likely to land a big contract this off-season, it's likely Jones will get the ability to test the free-agent waters. That doesn't exactly rule out his return, but if there is a chance for Jones to get a starting role with one of the other 31 teams, look for him to take it.
S Keith Davis - He wants to be a starting safety in the NFL. While he has accepted his role as a top-notch special teams player, Davis wants one more shot to prove he's more than that. Sure, he has started some games here in Dallas, but only at free safety. Davis is hoping he can find a team ready to make him its starting strong safety. That probably won't happen in Dallas, although with Roy Williams coming off a subpar season at best, it might not be too much of a stretch to assume Davis could at least compete for a job. The Cowboys have plenty of cap room, so they could justify paying Davis well, even to resume his duties as special teams captain. However, don't forget that Davis spent more than 15 minutes sitting on the bench at the end of the Cowboys' playoff loss to the Giants. Sure, he was upset with the season being over, but one could only wonder if he was bracing himself for the possibility that he had played his last game with the Cowboys. This will be a tough one.
CB Jacques Reeves - Many teams in the NFL are just trying to find one good cornerback, much less two. Reeves entered the season as the team's third corner, but started 13 games because of injuries to Terence Newman and Anthony Henry. It's likely he will get some interest from other teams as a possible second corner. He is still one of the team's fastest players, and speed alone can attract interest. The Cowboys probably will try to keep him as their third corner, but if he gets a chance to go somewhere else for more money, Reeves will probably go.
CB Nate Jones - The Cowboys like his versatility and the fact he plays well on special teams. But with young defensive backs Alan Ball and Courtney Brown already in the mix, not to mention another corner or safety that might be added through the draft, it might be hard for the Cowboys to justify keeping Jones around even at the league minimum.
Restricted Free Agents (5)
(Teams can place a leveled tender on each player, who can still negotiate with other clubs. If signed to an offer sheet, the Cowboys have seven days to match the offer. If they refuse, they will receive draft-pick compensation, depending on the level of tender placed by the original team.)
RB Marion Barber - If they don't sign him to a long-term deal before, the Cowboys undoubtedly will give Barber the highest tender, which would net them a first- and third-round pick if he goes to another team. That level is a one-year, $2.56 million offer. With all restricted free agents, the Cowboys could give the tender just to buy themselves more time to construct a long-term deal. Unless the Dolphins :doh: get crazy and dangle the first-round pick in front of the Cowboys for the rights to sign Barber, expect him to be back as the team's starting running back. And even then, there's no guarantee the Cowboys would take it. Barber has proven himself here in the last two years and figures to be the running back of the future here in Dallas.
DE Chris Canty - Look for the Cowboys to give him a first-round tender of $2.01 million, although like Barber, they'll try to get him locked up to a longer deal. The price range could be tricky with a player like Canty, who doesn't register a lot of stats at his defensive end position in the 3-4 scheme but steadily improved his production this year. Look for him to warrant a contract that's similar to, or perhaps bigger than Jay Ratliff's five-year, $20.5 million deal he signed back in November.
LS L.P. Ladouceur - You don't hear much about him. And at the long-snapper position, that's a great thing. The Cowboys will make sure they get him locked up. He might be the first to sign and could possibly get a long-term deal before he even gets a tender. He was consistent for the third straight season, helping Nick Folk and Mat McBriar enjoy fantastic seasons.
RB Tyson Thompson - The Cowboys might go ahead and give Thompson an original draft pick tender of $927,000. Since he was not drafted, the Cowboys would not receive compensation if he signs with another team. He lost his kick return job at mid-season and was inactive for eight of the last nine games. Even if Jones goes elsewhere, that doesn't automatically open the door for Thompson.
OL Joe Berger - The Cowboys like his versatility to play both guard and center. He wasn't needed much this season but will likely get a tender, giving him the chance to compete again for a backup job once again.
Exclusive Rights Free Agents (4)
(Players have little to no bargaining power and must accept the club offer, which is usually the second- or third-year minimum.)
DE Stephen Bowen - The Cowboys found a spot for him in their defensive sub-packages. He probably won't push for a starting job, but has a role.
OL Cory Procter - Played well in Andre Gurode's absence late in the season. He's developed into a center, but can still play guard.
CB Evan Oglesby - Didn't get much of a chance to shine, joining the team just before the start of the season. With a full off-season, he could improve his status by training camp.
TE Tony Curtis - Made the most of every opportunity. He scored touchdowns on all three of his receptions. His onside kick recovery in Buffalo helped the Cowboys win a game. He should have a nice grip on the third tight end spot, meaning that is one position the Cowboys could overlook in the draft, especially in the first few rounds.
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=9ECF11C7-EC5D-F1E7-BFB2620BA08348AD
IRVING, Texas - As just two teams remain in the hunt for the Super Bowl trophy, the rest of the NFL has already moved on to its off-season plans.
Despite being the favorite to get out of the NFC and advance to Super Bowl XLII in Arizona in two weeks, the Cowboys find themselves among the 30 teams whose season ended earlier than desired.
So instead of getting ready for a trip to the Super Bowl, the Cowboys must watch their division rivals, the New York Giants, get ready for a showdown with the Patriots, who look to become the first team in 35 years to have an undefeated NFL season.
The Cowboys were one of the three teams the Giants defeated on the road to the big game. After rolling past the Bucs in the wild-card game two weeks ago, the Giants stunned the Cowboys 21-17 in the divisional round before Sunday's 23-20 overtime win over the Packers.
The last team to defeat the Giants just so happens to be the Patriots, who survived a Week 17 match-up in the Meadowlands with a 38-35 win to complete their perfect regular season.
The Cowboys were hoping all along they would get the chance to avenge a loss against New England, which beat the Cowboys 48-27 back in October. But now it's on to the off-season for the Cowboys, who have several tough decisions to make.
Figuring out the coaching staff appears to be the biggest priority at the moment, with the Cowboys already losing Tony Sparano to Miami as the Dolphins' new head coach. The question now is how many assistants, if any, Sparano takes with him to the Dolphins. It has been speculated that Cowboys secondary coach Todd Bowles will likely join Sparano, and possibly linebackers coach Paul Pasqualoni and defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers as well. The contracts of all three coaches officially expire Tuesday, the first day they can negotiate with other clubs.
Once all the dominoes on the coaching staff begin to fall and eventually get sorted out, the Cowboys will be able to direct their focus on the players.
While the Senior Bowl and scouting combine will give the Cowboys and the rest of the league a chance to scout the upcoming draft prospects, free agency comes first. And if the Cowboys can take care of their needs in the free-agent signing period, which begins Feb. 29, they can approach the draft with the "best-available player" mindset as they did last year. And remember, the Cowboys have two first-round picks this year, acquiring Cleveland's first-round selection in a draft-day trade last year.
But let's take a closer look at free agency.
Before the Cowboys can take a look at players from other teams, they must address their free agents from within. Of the Cowboys' 15 free-agents-to-be, they have six unrestricted, five restricted and four exclusive rights free agents.
Here's a list of each group of free agents and their possible future with the Cowboys or another team.
Unrestricted Free Agents (6)
(If a deal is not reached before Feb. 29, the players can negotiate with any other club without compensation.)
LT Flozell Adams - The 10-year veteran might have a false start penalty here and there, but he also has proven to be a dominating left tackle. Yes, the Cowboys have three young tackles in Pat McQuistan, Doug Free and James Marten, but Adams isn't slowing down any. He has made the Pro Bowl in four of the last five years and arguably just had his best season of his career in 2007. The question won't be if the Cowboys want him back, but just how much they pay him and for how long. If the club can get a three- or four-year deal, the Cowboys would love to have him back. But the Cowboys also shelled out $67.5 million to Tony Romo this past fall. They may not be ready to let just anyone block for his blindside. Look for Adams and the Cowboys to find a right price for him to continue, and possibly finish, his career in Dallas.
S Ken Hamlin - When he signed a one-year deal last March, Hamlin bet on himself that he could play well enough in 2007 to land a bigger payday down the road. He won. Not only that, he will be starting in the Pro Bowl next month. That should land him a nice, big contract and look for the Cowboys to be the team giving it out. They've been looking for a solid free safety for years and Hamlin provided not only that, but leadership on defense as well.
RB Julius Jones - Had the lowest rushing total of his career, gaining only 588 yards. Although he started all 16 games, he played behind Marion Barber for most of the season. And with Barber, a restricted free agent, likely to land a big contract this off-season, it's likely Jones will get the ability to test the free-agent waters. That doesn't exactly rule out his return, but if there is a chance for Jones to get a starting role with one of the other 31 teams, look for him to take it.
S Keith Davis - He wants to be a starting safety in the NFL. While he has accepted his role as a top-notch special teams player, Davis wants one more shot to prove he's more than that. Sure, he has started some games here in Dallas, but only at free safety. Davis is hoping he can find a team ready to make him its starting strong safety. That probably won't happen in Dallas, although with Roy Williams coming off a subpar season at best, it might not be too much of a stretch to assume Davis could at least compete for a job. The Cowboys have plenty of cap room, so they could justify paying Davis well, even to resume his duties as special teams captain. However, don't forget that Davis spent more than 15 minutes sitting on the bench at the end of the Cowboys' playoff loss to the Giants. Sure, he was upset with the season being over, but one could only wonder if he was bracing himself for the possibility that he had played his last game with the Cowboys. This will be a tough one.
CB Jacques Reeves - Many teams in the NFL are just trying to find one good cornerback, much less two. Reeves entered the season as the team's third corner, but started 13 games because of injuries to Terence Newman and Anthony Henry. It's likely he will get some interest from other teams as a possible second corner. He is still one of the team's fastest players, and speed alone can attract interest. The Cowboys probably will try to keep him as their third corner, but if he gets a chance to go somewhere else for more money, Reeves will probably go.
CB Nate Jones - The Cowboys like his versatility and the fact he plays well on special teams. But with young defensive backs Alan Ball and Courtney Brown already in the mix, not to mention another corner or safety that might be added through the draft, it might be hard for the Cowboys to justify keeping Jones around even at the league minimum.
Restricted Free Agents (5)
(Teams can place a leveled tender on each player, who can still negotiate with other clubs. If signed to an offer sheet, the Cowboys have seven days to match the offer. If they refuse, they will receive draft-pick compensation, depending on the level of tender placed by the original team.)
RB Marion Barber - If they don't sign him to a long-term deal before, the Cowboys undoubtedly will give Barber the highest tender, which would net them a first- and third-round pick if he goes to another team. That level is a one-year, $2.56 million offer. With all restricted free agents, the Cowboys could give the tender just to buy themselves more time to construct a long-term deal. Unless the Dolphins :doh: get crazy and dangle the first-round pick in front of the Cowboys for the rights to sign Barber, expect him to be back as the team's starting running back. And even then, there's no guarantee the Cowboys would take it. Barber has proven himself here in the last two years and figures to be the running back of the future here in Dallas.
DE Chris Canty - Look for the Cowboys to give him a first-round tender of $2.01 million, although like Barber, they'll try to get him locked up to a longer deal. The price range could be tricky with a player like Canty, who doesn't register a lot of stats at his defensive end position in the 3-4 scheme but steadily improved his production this year. Look for him to warrant a contract that's similar to, or perhaps bigger than Jay Ratliff's five-year, $20.5 million deal he signed back in November.
LS L.P. Ladouceur - You don't hear much about him. And at the long-snapper position, that's a great thing. The Cowboys will make sure they get him locked up. He might be the first to sign and could possibly get a long-term deal before he even gets a tender. He was consistent for the third straight season, helping Nick Folk and Mat McBriar enjoy fantastic seasons.
RB Tyson Thompson - The Cowboys might go ahead and give Thompson an original draft pick tender of $927,000. Since he was not drafted, the Cowboys would not receive compensation if he signs with another team. He lost his kick return job at mid-season and was inactive for eight of the last nine games. Even if Jones goes elsewhere, that doesn't automatically open the door for Thompson.
OL Joe Berger - The Cowboys like his versatility to play both guard and center. He wasn't needed much this season but will likely get a tender, giving him the chance to compete again for a backup job once again.
Exclusive Rights Free Agents (4)
(Players have little to no bargaining power and must accept the club offer, which is usually the second- or third-year minimum.)
DE Stephen Bowen - The Cowboys found a spot for him in their defensive sub-packages. He probably won't push for a starting job, but has a role.
OL Cory Procter - Played well in Andre Gurode's absence late in the season. He's developed into a center, but can still play guard.
CB Evan Oglesby - Didn't get much of a chance to shine, joining the team just before the start of the season. With a full off-season, he could improve his status by training camp.
TE Tony Curtis - Made the most of every opportunity. He scored touchdowns on all three of his receptions. His onside kick recovery in Buffalo helped the Cowboys win a game. He should have a nice grip on the third tight end spot, meaning that is one position the Cowboys could overlook in the draft, especially in the first few rounds.