Archer: Mincey not at camp as he seeks re-worked deal

Cowboys won't talk deal until Jeremy Mincey shows up

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

OXNARD, Calif. – If Jeremy Mincey wants to get a new contract, then the Dallas Cowboys defensive end has to show up to training camp first.

“We certainly won’t be talking to him about it while he’s not here,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said.

Mincey is set to make $1.5 million as part of a two-year, $3 million deal he signed last year as a free agent. He has been in talks with the Cowboys since February about a new deal after leading the Cowboys in sacks last year with six.

The Cowboys added defensive end Greg Hardy in free agency and Randy Gregory in the draft to bolster their pass rush, but Mincey remains a big piece to the defense. Hardy is facing a four-game suspension for violating the personal conduct policy.

Mincey took part in all of the offseason program in hopes he would get a new deal, but nothing has been agreed upon. He faces up to $30,000 in fines for each day he misses of training camp. After six days, he could forfeit some of his signing bonus.

“We expect all players under contract to be here,” Jones said. “Jeremy obviously did a great job for us last year. He was a big part of our success on the defensive side of the football. We have nothing but the utmost respect for him. But he is under contract. I think when he signed that contract last year -- his representative was there -- he was all for it and they signed it. It’s not a long-term contract. It’s over at the end of this year. But we fully expect him to be here.”

Amazing what six sacks in the regular season and a couple in the playoffs plus some whining can demand.

Then again, this is the same franchise that paid Greg Ellis for his entire career.

There's literally no downside to giving Mincey another year and a nominal raise. He can be a valuable piece at a salary around just 2 million and he can be cut with no real ramifications.

Simpleton said:

There's literally no downside to giving Mincey another year and a nominal raise. He can be a valuable piece at a salary around just 2 million and he can be cut with no real ramifications.

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Yes, there is downside.

Scandrick bitched. Got paid. So did Mincey.

All for doing little more than being capable.

Mincey is even a worse case because I don't think he will even be a needed piece in a year or so.

So we extended what amounts to Jim Jeffcoat or Greg Ellis late in his career. Sounds sweet.

boozeman said:

Yes, there is downside.

Scandrick bitched. Got paid. So did Mincey.

All for doing little more than being capable.

Mincey is even a worse case because I don't think he will even be a needed piece in a year or so.

So we extended what amounts to Jim Jeffcoat or Greg Ellis late in his career. Sounds sweet.

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Pretty much. I'd have rather they cut him.

dallen said:

Pretty much. I'd have rather they cut him.

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Or just fined him and made him slink into camp with his tail in his legs.

I guess they see him as a "glue guy" but honestly, I don't see why that means you pay for that.

Simpleton said:

There's literally no downside to giving Mincey another year and a nominal raise. He can be a valuable piece at a salary around just 2 million and he can be cut with no real ramifications.

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I agree, veteran leadership is needed.

dallen said:

Pretty much. I'd have rather they cut him.

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And start the season with Gregory starting and no depth?

Jiggyfly said:

I agree, veteran leadership is needed.

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And you get that without having the player think he can extort you for it.

They just bought fake leadership as far as I am concerned.

Jiggyfly said:

And start the season with Gregory starting and no depth?

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Well, hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but Mincey is the definition of a JAG.

dallen said:

Well, hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but Mincey is the definition of a JAG.

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But since he got some money, he's probably going to be elected team captain again.

Seriously? This was a guy who was getting poked awake in team meetings in Jacksonville. Gets cut and humbled. Goes to Denver. Goes to a SB.

Gets a contract that is fair for his track record and abilities and performs well, okay. He showed up. Got a few garbage sacks but was never someone that kept an OC awake at night.

Now he's some piece we need to keep happy?

He was under contract. I guess all the tough talk from the team was just that.

So noted.

Tyler Patmon, you had a great practice today, go line up for a bonus. You earned it.

Cowboys DE Jeremy Mincey gets $500,000 added to contract but no extension

David Moore

Jeremy Mincey didn’t get everything he wanted.

But he got enough to end his holdout after three days.

Mincey was on the sidelines with his teammates Sunday after arriving the previous evening. Sources say the veteran defensive end had $500,000 added to his contract for this season, bringing his base pay to $2 million. The $120,000 he accumulated in fines was waived, sources said.

What Mincey did not get was the extension he sought. The two sides will continue those discussions.

“Yeah, we’ll continue to talk about it,’’ he said.

“I hated to miss a few days because I wanted to be out there with my guys and suffer along with them and work along with them. I hated that it came to this. I’m just glad I’m here now and it’s all over. No hard feelings, no nothing. I’m just ready to play football.’’

Monday is a day off for the Cowboys. Mincey will work with coaches on individual drills to get his legs under him and hopes to take part in Tuesday’s practice.

The decision to holdout came roughly one week before the team left for training camp. Mincey had quietly been trying to adjust his contract for months _ he came up 11 snaps shy of earning a $500,000 escalator clause for his performance last season _ to no avail.

“I was willing to take the backlash,’’ Mincey said. “I was willing to take the ridicule, and I was willing to take it all just for my family. I’ve got a wife and two daughters. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do for them.

“I mean, if I come out here and fight for my teammates, it’s a no-brainer for me to fight for my family. I’m glad I took a stand. We got good results and I’m here now and everything is good.’’

The front office proved their point in letting Murray walk, giving Mincey a nominal raise isn't going to have any long lasting effects.

Love how Mincey is trying to depict a hold out that netted him $500k as

1) Something he had to do for the sake of his family, and
2) Something that ended in victory for him.

Don't get me wrong, $500k is a lot of money, but in comparison to his career earnings, it's not going to change his style of life much after his career is over.

Simpleton said:

The front office proved their point in letting Murray walk, giving Mincey a nominal raise isn't going to have any long lasting effects.

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Yep, letting a catalyst of your offense walk means nothing.

But lemme tell ya about giving a marginal pass rusher and a career underachiever a reward for one decent, if you can call it that, year.

That will reap huge benefits. Just huge, I say.

Iamtdg said:

“I hated to miss a few days because I wanted to be out there with my guys and suffer along with them

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Are you effin' serious?

I knew it was a bad deal when a dork like him was voted as a team captain.

Three days...suffering...in the heat of Oxnard. Let me rally my poor underpaid people!

I don't mind it, he's a useful player and the 500k won't hinder our cap situation in the slightest. And they really are only giving him the escalator that he just barely missed out on.

As for an extension, I'd hold off on that. See how the line is shaking put first.

Seems like a good result for both sides.

boozeman said:

Yep, letting a catalyst of your offense walk means nothing.

But lemme tell ya about giving a marginal pass rusher and a career underachiever a reward for one decent, if you can call it that, year.

That will reap huge benefits. Just huge, I say.

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You and a few others are apparently pissed because you think giving Mincey a raise shows weakness on the part of the front office because they are giving in to an average player holding out. My point is that the front office proved their point that they are willing to let players walk if they demand more than the organization thinks they are worth when they let Murray walk.

Offensive player of the year, 1800+ rushing yards, single season Cowboy record, and they let him walk because he wants too much money.

That type of move makes a point that reverberates, not giving Mincey a meaningless raise. The fact of the matter is that you're pissed at the principle of the matter when the reality of it is that it has no ramifications on anything. We could cut Mincey tomorrow and it wouldn't impact anything, we could keep him and it wouldn't have any impact on our cap situation, and I'm sure that will remain true a year from now.