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Is Julian Edelman's deal good news for Cole Beasley?
9:15 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys' offseason comes to an end Thursday with their final minicamp practice.
With a little more than five weeks until they fly to Oxnard, California, for the start of training camp, it’s time for Five Wonders.
Away we go:
** With Julian Edelman signing a two-year extension with the New England Patriots through 2019, I wonder if the Cowboys would look at extending Cole Beasley's contract. There is a difference between Edelman and Beasley. Edelman was set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Beasley is signed through 2018. But the Cowboys have shown a willingness to extend contracts of core players with two or more years remaining on their deals in the past. Make no mistake, Beasley is a core player. He led the Cowboys in catches last year and Dak Prescott looked to him in tight situations. Beasley is set to make $3.5 million this year and can make up to $3.75 million next year if he hits on certain escalators in his contract. Edelman’s two-year extension is worth $11 million and includes a $5 million signing bonus and $7 million guaranteed. That might be something the Cowboys should consider, even if they drafted Ryan Switzer, a Beasley clone, in the fourth round this year.
** Every time a veteran of note (or a name of note at the least) becomes available, fans will wonder if Player X would be a good fit for the Cowboys. Jeremy Maclin, Eric Decker and Darrelle Revis come to mind. I shouldn’t wonder why fans wonder about these things but I still do. The Cowboys signed Terrance Williams to a four-year, $17 million deal to remain with the team. Why would Maclin or Decker be a fit? Why would either want to come to the Cowboys when Dez Bryant, Beasley, Jason Witten and Williams are here? Bryant stoked the fires a little over the weekend with his pitch to Revis. It made for a nice post, but the Cowboys have cast their lot with the corners they currently have. Revis is not a fit. If there are injuries later this summer, maybe they change their tune, but the Cowboys are done paying age.
** I wonder if the New Orleans Saints stole Ryan Nassib from the Cowboys. Nassib worked out for the Cowboys last week and I’m told he threw the ball well after having elbow surgery that ended his final season with the New York Giants. But he reportedly is ready to sign with the Saints. The Cowboys claimed Zac Dysert off waivers last week and could have added Nassib this week. Dysert and Nassib could have used this week’s minicamp to compete for a training camp spot. For a mini-wonder inside a wonder: I don’t wonder if this recent flirtation with sort-of, kind-of veteran quarterbacks means anything toward Kellen Moore's hold on the No. 2 spot. If the Cowboys had some worry, they would have made a play for a more veteran quarterback by now.
** I wonder if Rod Smith has a better chance of making the Cowboys roster than Alfred Morris. It’s not a dig at Morris. He can be a viable runner in the NFL. It’s just the fit. There aren’t enough snaps for him to go around with how the Cowboys are constructed. He is better in carries 10-15 than he is 1-5 and he will likely not get more than five carries a game. Smith, however, provides more position flexibility. He can play fullback. He can play tailback. He can be a core special teamer. He was on the roster for seven games last year and caught one pass for 4 yards. He also made four tackles on special teams.
** With the Cowboys gaining $14 million of cap room on June 2 once Tony Romo’s release became official, the immediate thought was some of that room would go to the new contract for All-Pro guard Zack Martin. In actuality Martin’s new deal, if it gets done this summer, would likely be cap neutral. But I wonder if the Cowboys will use a small part of the newfound room in deals for punter Chris Jones and even long-snapper L.P. Ladouceur. Both players are set to be free agents after the 2017 season. Ladouceur has been the Cowboys snapper since 2005 and is 36. Maybe they hold off. But Jones has a strong leg and is one of the more underrated punters in the NFL.
9:15 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys' offseason comes to an end Thursday with their final minicamp practice.
With a little more than five weeks until they fly to Oxnard, California, for the start of training camp, it’s time for Five Wonders.
Away we go:
** With Julian Edelman signing a two-year extension with the New England Patriots through 2019, I wonder if the Cowboys would look at extending Cole Beasley's contract. There is a difference between Edelman and Beasley. Edelman was set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Beasley is signed through 2018. But the Cowboys have shown a willingness to extend contracts of core players with two or more years remaining on their deals in the past. Make no mistake, Beasley is a core player. He led the Cowboys in catches last year and Dak Prescott looked to him in tight situations. Beasley is set to make $3.5 million this year and can make up to $3.75 million next year if he hits on certain escalators in his contract. Edelman’s two-year extension is worth $11 million and includes a $5 million signing bonus and $7 million guaranteed. That might be something the Cowboys should consider, even if they drafted Ryan Switzer, a Beasley clone, in the fourth round this year.
** Every time a veteran of note (or a name of note at the least) becomes available, fans will wonder if Player X would be a good fit for the Cowboys. Jeremy Maclin, Eric Decker and Darrelle Revis come to mind. I shouldn’t wonder why fans wonder about these things but I still do. The Cowboys signed Terrance Williams to a four-year, $17 million deal to remain with the team. Why would Maclin or Decker be a fit? Why would either want to come to the Cowboys when Dez Bryant, Beasley, Jason Witten and Williams are here? Bryant stoked the fires a little over the weekend with his pitch to Revis. It made for a nice post, but the Cowboys have cast their lot with the corners they currently have. Revis is not a fit. If there are injuries later this summer, maybe they change their tune, but the Cowboys are done paying age.
** I wonder if the New Orleans Saints stole Ryan Nassib from the Cowboys. Nassib worked out for the Cowboys last week and I’m told he threw the ball well after having elbow surgery that ended his final season with the New York Giants. But he reportedly is ready to sign with the Saints. The Cowboys claimed Zac Dysert off waivers last week and could have added Nassib this week. Dysert and Nassib could have used this week’s minicamp to compete for a training camp spot. For a mini-wonder inside a wonder: I don’t wonder if this recent flirtation with sort-of, kind-of veteran quarterbacks means anything toward Kellen Moore's hold on the No. 2 spot. If the Cowboys had some worry, they would have made a play for a more veteran quarterback by now.
** I wonder if Rod Smith has a better chance of making the Cowboys roster than Alfred Morris. It’s not a dig at Morris. He can be a viable runner in the NFL. It’s just the fit. There aren’t enough snaps for him to go around with how the Cowboys are constructed. He is better in carries 10-15 than he is 1-5 and he will likely not get more than five carries a game. Smith, however, provides more position flexibility. He can play fullback. He can play tailback. He can be a core special teamer. He was on the roster for seven games last year and caught one pass for 4 yards. He also made four tackles on special teams.
** With the Cowboys gaining $14 million of cap room on June 2 once Tony Romo’s release became official, the immediate thought was some of that room would go to the new contract for All-Pro guard Zack Martin. In actuality Martin’s new deal, if it gets done this summer, would likely be cap neutral. But I wonder if the Cowboys will use a small part of the newfound room in deals for punter Chris Jones and even long-snapper L.P. Ladouceur. Both players are set to be free agents after the 2017 season. Ladouceur has been the Cowboys snapper since 2005 and is 36. Maybe they hold off. But Jones has a strong leg and is one of the more underrated punters in the NFL.
