Rapoport: Cowboys offered DeMarco Murray four-year deal

[boozeman]

Cowboys offered DeMarco Murray four-year deal

By Marc Sessler
Around the NFL Writer
Published: Oct. 5, 2014 at 10:26 a.m.
Updated: Oct. 5, 2014 at 10:38 a.m.



DeMarco Murray's autumn romp has the Dallas Cowboys interested in keeping the soon-to-be free agent around deep into the future.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport told NFL GameDay Morning that the 'Boys have offered Murray a four-year contract that would pay him more than any free-agent running back earned in 2014, per team sources.

He's never played in more than eight straight games, but Dallas believes Murray's talent outweighs his shaky injury history. The Cowboys want to make "absolutely sure they have him for years to come," Rapoport said.

On pace for 2,136 rushing yards -- which would snap Eric Dickerson's 30-year-old NFL record -- Murray leads the league in carries (99), rushing yards (534) and rushing touchdowns (5) heading into Sunday's action.

His 5.4 yards per attempt have come behind one of the game's top young offensive lines, but it's not just the blocking: Murray has been a headache to bring down, bouncing through defenders for the NFL's second-highest elusiveness rating, a Pro Football Focus metric that measures a runner's success beyond the point of being helped by his blockers.

Dallas wisely has based its offense around Murray and the ground game during a surprising 3-1 start, running the ball on 50.8 percent of its plays -- up 15 percent from last season. Tony Romo's 118 pass attempts are the fewest of his career after four games.

A horde of young runners will test free agency come March. Murray, barring a shocker, won't be one of them.
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Top deals in FA last year:

Chris Johnson - 2-year, $8 million deal

Toby Gerhart and Donald Brown - 3-year, $10.5 million deals

Knowshon Moreno - 1-year, $3 million deal.

 

[NoDak]

I could live with a 4 mil or so per yr contract. But I'd like to wait until towards the end of the year to see if he holds up before signing it.

 

[GShock]

No. No no no no no no. Murray can't stay healthy, and there are a bumper crop of rbs in the draft this year.

Do not tie up resources in the position. Especially in a guy who has his health history.

 

[boozeman]

No. No no no no no no. Murray can't stay healthy, and there are a bumper crop of rbs in the draft this year.

Do not tie up resources in the position. Especially in a guy who has his health history.

I get why you would feel that way, but I don't want to deal with wanting a RB early. We have bigger problems.

Pay Bryant first, then worry about Murray. The early draft should be reserved for the DL.

 

[data]

...and so the end begins

 

[Genghis Khan]

I get why you would feel that way, but I don't want to deal with wanting a RB early. We have bigger problems.

Pay Bryant first, then worry about Murray. The early draft should be reserved for the DL.

I don't understand how people are saying just let him walk, when it's so obvious that the team's success right now is inextricably tied to Murray.

If we had a real replacement for him on the roster right now, then fine. If we have to pay him an unreasonable contract, then fine. I don't see either of those things right now.

Normally I say RBs are a dime a dozen. Most are. Murray has shown that he is much more than that. The only question is his health at this point and hopefully they take that into account when they sign him.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I don't understand how people are saying just let him walk, when it's so obvious that the team's success right now is inextricably tied to Murray.

If we had a real replacement for him on the roster right now, then fine. If we have to pay him an unreasonable contract, then fine. I don't see either of those things right now.

Normally I say RBs are a dime a dozen. Most are. Murray has shown that he is much more than that. The only question is his health at this point and hopefully they take that into account when they sign him.

Been preaching that myself.

 

[townsend]

After we signed Sean Lee to a long term deal, I'd really like a healthy season before we offer a big contract. I'm guessing we're afraid that Murray's stellar season would raise his price too much by the end, but we have such a history of locking players in only to have them quit on us.

Newman, Barber, Austin, Ratliff, probably some others I'm not thinking of. I'm afraid of having a lame duck RB starting thanks to his salary.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Murray had 31 carries today. We really do need to start worrying about a pitch count with him. Especially if we plan to sign him to a new deal. I don't want him to have 400 carries this season and then look like a shell of his former self next year.

 

[shane]

No. No no no no no no. Murray can't stay healthy, and there are a bumper crop of rbs in the draft this year.

Do not tie up resources in the position. Especially in a guy who has his health history.

I agree. Draft a guy, sign a middle-of-the-roader and platoon. We have the OL to make a few decent guys look really good.

 

[GShock]

The fumbles aren't exactly endearing, either.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Yeah. He's a slug. Just because he is the current rushing leader he shouldn't get any contractual consideration.

 

[NoDak]

Yeah. He's a slug. Just because he is the current rushing leader he shouldn't get any contractual consideration.

Dramatic much?

 

[L.T. Fan]

Dramatic much?

Well I can't make any inroads being rational with some.

 

[skidadl]

I don't understand how people are saying just let him walk, when it's so obvious that the team's success right now is inextricably tied to Murray.

If we had a real replacement for him on the roster right now, then fine. If we have to pay him an unreasonable contract, then fine. I don't see either of those things right now.

Normally I say RBs are a dime a dozen. Most are. Murray has shown that he is much more than that. The only question is his health at this point and hopefully they take that into account when they sign him.

Hey hey let's not raise the IQ here with all your fancy words.

 

[ravidubey]

A four year extension would be perfect. And you still draft a running back in the 3rd.

 

[dallen]

Any deal you sign him to has to be year to year

 

[Carp]

After we signed Sean Lee to a long term deal, I'd really like a healthy season before we offer a big contract. I'm guessing we're afraid that Murray's stellar season would raise his price too much by the end, but we have such a history of locking players in only to have them quit on us.

Newman, Barber, Austin, Ratliff, probably some others I'm not thinking of. I'm afraid of having a lame duck RB starting thanks to his salary.

The difference with the earlier contracts and the one signed by Lee is that we protected ourselves against injury in the deal. We could do the same with Murray.

 

[L.T. Fan]

The difference with the earlier contracts and the one signed by Lee is that we protected ourselves against injury in the deal. We could do the same with Murray.

yep

 

[Cowboysrock55]

A four year extension would be perfect. And you still draft a running back in the 3rd.

No thanks