Melton Signed
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Cowboys bolster DL; Melton, coming off ACL surgery, to be ready for 2014 season
SportsDayDFW.com
Published: 18 March 2014 07:29 PM
Updated: 18 March 2014 10:55 PM
After an agonizing first week of free agency, the Cowboys finally made a big splash Tuesday.
And, no, this had nothing to do with the birth of Rivers Romo, the second son of quarterback Tony Romo.
The Cowboys agreed to terms with Chicago Bears free-agent defensive tackle Henry Melton on a one-year contract with a club option for three more years, according to sources.
Jordan Woy, Melton’s Dallas-based agent, worked deep into Tuesday night on the contract.
Melton can earn up to $5 million in 2014, Woy said. If Melton is on the Cowboys’ roster the first day of the NFL’s league year next March, a source said, he will get a three-year extension that would average $8 million per season and include $9 million guaranteed in 2015.
The Melton deal wrapped up just a few hours after the Cowboys had completed a free-agent visit with defensive end Jared Allen. The Cowboys had just more than $7 million in salary cap space still available before they added Melton. With Melton in house, the Cowboys are now unlikely to pursue Allen unless his price drops.
Melton tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the Bears’ season last year. The contract is structured in a way that provides protection for the Cowboys if Melton shows signs that he didn’t fully recover from his left knee surgery. But if Melton returns to his Pro Bowl level, he’ll receive his big payday in 2015.
Melton’s knee checked out just fine when he was evaluated by Cowboys doctors during a free-agent visit Monday at Valley Ranch, a source said. Though he could miss some time in training camp, his rehabilitation from ACL surgery is on schedule and he will be ready to play at the start of the season.
“It’s a fair deal in the first year while he comes back from ACL surgery,” Woy said, “then Pro Bowl-type money moving forward.”
Melton returns home and gives the Cowboys a centerpiece for their defensive line that was desperately needed after Pro Bowlers DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher signed with other teams last week.
Melton, who played in high school at Grapevine and in college at Texas, will reunite with Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, the coach he excelled under while both were with the Bears.
The Cowboys view Melton as a logical fit for their 3-technique defensive tackle spot that’s crucial in their 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme. They value his speed and experience playing under Marinelli in a similar system.
Melton was still in St. Louis on Tuesday, after finishing his visit with the Rams, when the two sides agreed to terms. Melton also made visits to Minnesota and Seattle.
“Thank you Chicago for the best 5 years of my life!,” Melton tweeted before all the details of the contract had been finalized. “I can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life. … With a star on my helmet.”
Signing Melton helps open options for the Cowboys in May’s draft. If the Cowboys wouldn’t have signed either Melton or Allen, they would have almost certainly had to use their first-round pick on a defensive lineman. With Melton under contract, they can now shift to taking the best player available instead of following the often dreaded path of drafting for need.
The Cowboys put the full-court press on recruiting Melton (6-3, 295) Monday, including Marinelli having dinner with him Monday night.
The 27-year-old Melton reached the Pro Bowl in 2012 under Marinelli, recording 44 tackles and six sacks for the Bears. Melton had seven sacks in 2011.
Last season, with Marinelli coaching the Cowboys’ defensive line, Melton was the Bears’ franchised player at $8.5 million.
The Cowboys worked the fringes of free agency last week by signing rotational defensive linemen Jeremy Mincey and Terrell McClain.
On Tuesday, the Cowboys moved to the forefront.
Henry Melton
Position: DT
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 295
College: Texas
Age: 27
NFL experience: 6th season
Background…The Fort Worth native and Grapevine High School product was a 2009 fourth-round pick of the Chicago Bears. During his stint with the Bears, he was coached by Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. In his career, Melton has collected 89 tackles and 15 ½ sacks while forcing three fumbles. In 2012, he was invited to his only Pro Bowl. Last September, while playing under the franchise tag, Melton tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He was then arrested in December on charges of public intoxication and assault after an altercation at a Grapevine bar.
SportsDayDFW.com
Published: 18 March 2014 07:29 PM
Updated: 18 March 2014 10:55 PM
After an agonizing first week of free agency, the Cowboys finally made a big splash Tuesday.
And, no, this had nothing to do with the birth of Rivers Romo, the second son of quarterback Tony Romo.
The Cowboys agreed to terms with Chicago Bears free-agent defensive tackle Henry Melton on a one-year contract with a club option for three more years, according to sources.
Jordan Woy, Melton’s Dallas-based agent, worked deep into Tuesday night on the contract.
Melton can earn up to $5 million in 2014, Woy said. If Melton is on the Cowboys’ roster the first day of the NFL’s league year next March, a source said, he will get a three-year extension that would average $8 million per season and include $9 million guaranteed in 2015.
The Melton deal wrapped up just a few hours after the Cowboys had completed a free-agent visit with defensive end Jared Allen. The Cowboys had just more than $7 million in salary cap space still available before they added Melton. With Melton in house, the Cowboys are now unlikely to pursue Allen unless his price drops.
Melton tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the Bears’ season last year. The contract is structured in a way that provides protection for the Cowboys if Melton shows signs that he didn’t fully recover from his left knee surgery. But if Melton returns to his Pro Bowl level, he’ll receive his big payday in 2015.
Melton’s knee checked out just fine when he was evaluated by Cowboys doctors during a free-agent visit Monday at Valley Ranch, a source said. Though he could miss some time in training camp, his rehabilitation from ACL surgery is on schedule and he will be ready to play at the start of the season.
“It’s a fair deal in the first year while he comes back from ACL surgery,” Woy said, “then Pro Bowl-type money moving forward.”
Melton returns home and gives the Cowboys a centerpiece for their defensive line that was desperately needed after Pro Bowlers DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher signed with other teams last week.
Melton, who played in high school at Grapevine and in college at Texas, will reunite with Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, the coach he excelled under while both were with the Bears.
The Cowboys view Melton as a logical fit for their 3-technique defensive tackle spot that’s crucial in their 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme. They value his speed and experience playing under Marinelli in a similar system.
Melton was still in St. Louis on Tuesday, after finishing his visit with the Rams, when the two sides agreed to terms. Melton also made visits to Minnesota and Seattle.
“Thank you Chicago for the best 5 years of my life!,” Melton tweeted before all the details of the contract had been finalized. “I can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life. … With a star on my helmet.”
Signing Melton helps open options for the Cowboys in May’s draft. If the Cowboys wouldn’t have signed either Melton or Allen, they would have almost certainly had to use their first-round pick on a defensive lineman. With Melton under contract, they can now shift to taking the best player available instead of following the often dreaded path of drafting for need.
The Cowboys put the full-court press on recruiting Melton (6-3, 295) Monday, including Marinelli having dinner with him Monday night.
The 27-year-old Melton reached the Pro Bowl in 2012 under Marinelli, recording 44 tackles and six sacks for the Bears. Melton had seven sacks in 2011.
Last season, with Marinelli coaching the Cowboys’ defensive line, Melton was the Bears’ franchised player at $8.5 million.
The Cowboys worked the fringes of free agency last week by signing rotational defensive linemen Jeremy Mincey and Terrell McClain.
On Tuesday, the Cowboys moved to the forefront.
Henry Melton
Position: DT
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 295
College: Texas
Age: 27
NFL experience: 6th season
Background…The Fort Worth native and Grapevine High School product was a 2009 fourth-round pick of the Chicago Bears. During his stint with the Bears, he was coached by Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli. In his career, Melton has collected 89 tackles and 15 ½ sacks while forcing three fumbles. In 2012, he was invited to his only Pro Bowl. Last September, while playing under the franchise tag, Melton tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He was then arrested in December on charges of public intoxication and assault after an altercation at a Grapevine bar.
lostxn
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Sounds like a one year deal with a poison pill which will likely prevent him from being signed after this year...
Clay_Allison
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Just give me Anthony Barr in the first and I promise to care again.
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Not really, 9 mil in guarantees is not that much for a 28 year old stud DT. Meaning if he has a pro bowl season he would be worth keeping on the extension. If he doesn't then you can let him go and try to resign him on a reasonable deal.
D
Deuce
Guest
I don't think this is an overreaction on our part. If Melton gets back to '12 form, this is a La'Roi Glover signing. Big impact.
D
Deuce
Guest
Sounds like a reasonable extension if he plays at a high level.
dallas0593
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Safety pick here we come!
NoDak
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That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.
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Uh....hello, we still have Matt Johnson. Duh!
It'll be like having an extra draft pick......again.
Smitty
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My guess is it's a one-year deal that allows the team to buy him for another 3 at a significantly higher price if they want him beyond that. Would fit with his reported desire for a "prove it" deal regarding his health. He doesn't want to lock in for cheap at 4 years, he wants to get paid. The team didn't want to have a one-year deal only, though. The compromise is an extra 3 years at a higher cost that is acceptable to everyone if he rebounds.
That sure would be an odd deal but I guess it is the Cowboys way of making sure they don't get burned on the injury. The nice thing about this move is it takes the pressure of signing Allen. Now we can kind of wait and see with him. If we didn't get Melton it would have put a lot of pressure on Dallas to go out and sign him.
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I'd have no problem drafting a safety in the 1st or 2nd so long as they mix in a DL with one of the top picks.
I'm ready to fix the problem at S and stop dicking around with all the injury-prone and small school players.
Smitty
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Nah.
Smitty
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Barr would be nice.
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Absolutely. Especially since we can part ways with Melton after one year if we want with no consequences. The good news is most of us on here didn't think Donald would last to our pick. Now we don't have to worry about that as much. If he isn't there then oh well, go a different direction.
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I don't have faith that we would use him correctly.
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Well right now we are so f*cked opposite Church it isn't even funny. A stud safety would have a huge impact on this defense. Of course we still need to add D-lineman.
Carp
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Pryor and Clinton Dix are worth it.