- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 120,031
Cowboys should consider more than cap in Rolando McClain move
11:03 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- On Tuesday Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team is keeping suspended linebacker Rolando McClain on the roster because of cap considerations.
Huh?
Now is the time Jones picks to be sensible with the salary cap? Over a $750,000 signing bonus?
If cap considerations are the reason McClain is still on the roster, Jones is contradicting what he did just two years ago when much more money was in play.
In the spring of 2014 Kyle Orton skipped the Cowboys’ offseason program and did not show up for the mandatory minicamp. He was leaning toward retirement. That was his plan, but the only problem was the fact he would have to repay the Cowboys some $3 million of the $5 million signing bonus he received in 2012 if he walked away.
And the Cowboys were not going to just let him go away kindly into that good night. That’s a good chunk of change in a salary-cap world. A couple of weeks before training camp Orton informed the Cowboys that he would show up for the flight to Oxnard, California.
Fearing the possibility of him getting hurt and being on the hook for his full $3.25 million base salary, the Cowboys cut Orton on July 15, 2014.
The comparison to McClain’s situation is not perfect. A case could be made that the structure of the deal Orton signed in 2012 was designed to help the Cowboys against the cap with the ability to spread the signing bonus out over a five-year period rather than three.
Let’s say that was the case. The Cowboys would have been able to still collect more from Orton than they would from McClain.
The Cowboys took a two-year cap hit on Orton with his release. He cost $2.25 million against their cap last year and $1.1275 million against the cap in 2014.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones said McClain’s spot on the roster isn’t really costing the Cowboys anything. He’s right: Technically, McClain has yet to default because the suspension does not take effect until the start of the season.
McClain’s release, however, would show players the Cowboys are serious about their “right kind of guy” mantra. They made no attempt to re-sign Greg Hardy and, despite their current state of pass rushing, he remains off their list.
The Cowboys signed veteran Justin Durant on Monday to a one-year deal. He can serve as protection for McClain’s absence and beyond. However, his injury history should not make him a starter. The Cowboys gave him just an $80,000 signing bonus on a veteran minimum salary benefit contract.
By releasing McClain, the Cowboys can send a stronger message to the players that being the “right kind of guy” matters more than just cap considerations.
________________________________________
This was exactly my point the other day. I agree with this 100%.
11:03 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- On Tuesday Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the team is keeping suspended linebacker Rolando McClain on the roster because of cap considerations.
Huh?
Now is the time Jones picks to be sensible with the salary cap? Over a $750,000 signing bonus?
If cap considerations are the reason McClain is still on the roster, Jones is contradicting what he did just two years ago when much more money was in play.
In the spring of 2014 Kyle Orton skipped the Cowboys’ offseason program and did not show up for the mandatory minicamp. He was leaning toward retirement. That was his plan, but the only problem was the fact he would have to repay the Cowboys some $3 million of the $5 million signing bonus he received in 2012 if he walked away.
And the Cowboys were not going to just let him go away kindly into that good night. That’s a good chunk of change in a salary-cap world. A couple of weeks before training camp Orton informed the Cowboys that he would show up for the flight to Oxnard, California.
Fearing the possibility of him getting hurt and being on the hook for his full $3.25 million base salary, the Cowboys cut Orton on July 15, 2014.
The comparison to McClain’s situation is not perfect. A case could be made that the structure of the deal Orton signed in 2012 was designed to help the Cowboys against the cap with the ability to spread the signing bonus out over a five-year period rather than three.
Let’s say that was the case. The Cowboys would have been able to still collect more from Orton than they would from McClain.
The Cowboys took a two-year cap hit on Orton with his release. He cost $2.25 million against their cap last year and $1.1275 million against the cap in 2014.
Executive vice president Stephen Jones said McClain’s spot on the roster isn’t really costing the Cowboys anything. He’s right: Technically, McClain has yet to default because the suspension does not take effect until the start of the season.
McClain’s release, however, would show players the Cowboys are serious about their “right kind of guy” mantra. They made no attempt to re-sign Greg Hardy and, despite their current state of pass rushing, he remains off their list.
The Cowboys signed veteran Justin Durant on Monday to a one-year deal. He can serve as protection for McClain’s absence and beyond. However, his injury history should not make him a starter. The Cowboys gave him just an $80,000 signing bonus on a veteran minimum salary benefit contract.
By releasing McClain, the Cowboys can send a stronger message to the players that being the “right kind of guy” matters more than just cap considerations.
________________________________________
This was exactly my point the other day. I agree with this 100%.
