Fisher: How Austin Release Will Impact Cowboys’ Cap

[boozeman]

How Austin Release Will Impact Cowboys’ Cap


By Mike Fisher | 105.3 The Fan, CBSDFW.com
March 12, 2014 9:34 AM


IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) – The dismissal of Miles Austin as a post-June 1 cut has been virtually a foregone conclusion since the end of the season. But the Dallas Cowboys are likely to assign that designation as early as today, thus freeing up $5.5 million in cap space that will be available to spend in June.

That number aligns perfectly with what the Cowboys will need to sign their draft picks in May. And while Austin will remain on the books for two years (Dallas will reduce his 2014 cap hit from $8.25 million to $2.75 mil and will have $5.1 million of dead money on next year’s cap), the move suggests an increased awareness on the part of team management to move away from the policy of paying age.

Austin, who turns 30 this summer, had 81 receptions for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns in a breakout 2009 season and shortly thereafter signed a six-year, $54 million contract extension, the Cowboys betting on the come. But hamstring injuries have robbed Austin of his effectiveness; he contributed only 24 catches for 244 yards and no touchdowns in 2013.

 

[hstour]

the move suggests an increased awareness on the part of team management to move away from the policy of paying age.

Agree with that.

 

[Smitty]

the move suggests an increased awareness on the part of team management to move away from the policy of paying age.

Agree with that.

The team has no credibility on these matters in general though. They have a long way to go before they establish there is a "policy" or "plan" in place. And, uh... they just signed 30 year old Jeremy Mincey, so..... one step forward, two steps back.

 

[hstour]

I don't judge a team on their "credibility," but on what they actually do. He was signed as a backup/rotational player with experience. If injuries like last year happen, he will better than scrambling to find someone off the street. He wasn't signed to be "the answer." They are using free agency to find role players/backups. That's a better plan than trying to find stars. They rarely play up to their contracts.

 

[Cotton]

I don't judge a team on their "credibility," but on what they actually do. He was signed as a backup/rotational player with experience. If injuries like last year happen, he will better than scrambling to find someone off the street. He wasn't signed to be "the answer." They are using free agency to find role players/backups. That's a better plan than trying to find stars. They rarely play up to their contracts.

What they have done in the past is what has led to their not getting the benefit of the doubt in what they do now.

 

[Smitty]

I don't judge a team on their "credibility," but on what they actually do. He was signed as a backup/rotational player with experience. If injuries like last year happen, he will better than scrambling to find someone off the street. He wasn't signed to be "the answer." They are using free agency to find role players/backups. That's a better plan than trying to find stars. They rarely play up to their contracts.

You have no idea what he was "signed to be," just that he was signed.

We've signed "role players" in free agency before and it's backfired, too. We can't assume this move works or that Mincey isn't counted on to see heavy minutes this year.

And even if he does see light duty, it's not evident that they have a plan in place beyond "getting cap space." They can still and almost always have screwed things up.

 

[Deuce]

Something tells me hstour trusts in this process Garrett's always babbling about.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

they just signed 30 year old Jeremy Mincey, so..... one step forward, two steps back.

So Mincey signed on a long term 20 mil per year deal? Shit I was not paying attention.

I don't think the policy is to not have guys on the roster over the age of 30. I think the idea is not to have guys on your roster making 20 mil a season and delivering you 6 sacks. For the people that think we were forced to cut Ware because we were in some sort of a cap crisis that clearly wasn't the case. We were under before we cut Ware and we haven't exactly used his cap space to go big on free agents.

 

[Genghis Khan]

What's goibg on here is the team doesn't have a lot of money to spend and hasn't for a while.

You aren't looking at policy you are looking at consequences.

 

[Cotton]

What's goibg on here is the team doesn't have a lot of money to spend and hasn't for a while.

You aren't looking at policy you are looking at consequences.

Agreed.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

What's goibg on here is the team doesn't have a lot of money to spend and hasn't for a while.

You aren't looking at policy you are looking at consequences.

Yeah because we needed to cut Ware to get under the cap. Oh wait no we didn't.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Yeah because we needed to cut Ware to get under the cap. Oh wait no we didn't.

We needed to cut Ware to have any money to spend.

And some of that savings went to a 30 year old.

It's not policy.

We haven't spent big money on a free agent in a while, and it's been even longer since we've had what you mightcconsider a big free agent haul.

And it's because we don't really have the money.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

We needed to cut Ware to have any money to spend.

And some of that savings went to a 30 year old.

It's not policy.

We haven't spent big money on a free agent in a while, and it's been even longer since we've had what you mightcconsider a big free agent haul.

And it's because we don't really have the money.

We needed that money to spend? We signed 2 guys. So in total we added one DT for peanuts. Because cutting one DE caused the need to sign the DE. Your theory still holds zero water.

 

[Genghis Khan]

For the record I think it's probably for the best that we aren't breaking the bank on free agents. You are better off filling in with solid players usually. Your break the bank superstars ideally come through the draft.

I don't think we are filling in with solid players, though, either. Our signings so far feel less like Kyle Kozier and more like Phil Costa.

And of course our biggest problem by far is that we haven't drafted well enough.

 

[Genghis Khan]

We needed that money to spend? We signed 2 guys. So in total we added one DT for peanuts. Because cutting one DE caused the need to sign the DE. Your theory still holds zero water.

What theory? I'm not even positing a theory. I'm trying to dispel the theory tgat we are cutting Ware and Austin because we have a policy of not paying age. And I'm dispelling it by pointing out that there are money reasons why they were cut that is more compelling than explanations about age. Age is at best pretextual.

 

[Genghis Khan]

In other words, if Ware had 12 sacks last year and Austin had 1000 yards they'd both be here still. They would just be kicking the can down the road again.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

What theory? I'm not even positing a theory. I'm trying to dispel the theory tgat we are cutting Ware and Austin because we have a policy of not paying age. And I'm dispelling it by pointing out that there are money reasons why they were cut that is more compelling than explanations about age. Age is at best pretextual.

There was no money reason for cutting Ware. We could have done everything we have done to this point and kept Ware.

Cutting Ware was long term vision on an aging player who was making money that far exceeded his production level. Jerry could have easily kept Ware this season even given our cap situation.

 

[Cotton]

For the record I think it's probably for the best that we aren't breaking the bank on free agents. You are better off filling in with solid players usually. Your break the bank superstars ideally come through the draft.

I don't think we are filling in with solid players, though, either. Our signings so far feel less like Kyle Kozier and more like Phil Costa.

And of course our biggest problem by far is that we haven't drafted well enough.

Same talent levels, different year, and different names.

 

[Smitty]

Less like Kyle Kosier, more like Ryan Hannam.

 

[Genghis Khan]

Less like Kyle Kosier, more like Ryan Hannam.

I barely even remember Hannam, which means your comparison is probably better.