MacMahon: Murray 'best running back in the world'

Cotton

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Murray 'best running back in the world'
September, 15, 2014

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Maybe DeMarco Murray should be considered a candidate for the Dallas Cowboys' defensive MVP award.

After all, the defense’s job is a heck of a lot easier when they get to stand on the sideline and watch Murray move the chains.

"He’s the best running back in the world to me," safety Barry Church said with a big smile. "That boy’s milking that clock."

The Cowboys lead the league in time of possession, controlling the ball for 36:18 per game. The defense was on the field for less than 19 minutes during Sunday’s win against the Tennessee Titans.

That is mostly because of the work Murray has done running behind a dominant offensive line that features three recent first-round picks. Murray leads the NFL in rushing with 285 yards on 51 carries, an average of 5.6 yards per pop.

Murray has rushed for 18 first downs, including a career-high 10 against the Titans. No other back in the league has more than 10 rushing first downs this season.

"You can’t ask for a better game for a defense," middle linebacker Rolando McClain said. "We got time to sit on the sidelines, go over checks, and just stay fresh and get prepared to go back on the field, so, I mean that played a tremendous part in us just staying fresh and being able to make plays. We’ve got to give our hats off to the offensive line and DeMarco the way they ran the ball."
 

Carp

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Well at least they are not getting too ahead of themselves.

:unsure
 

p1_

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"You can’t ask for a better game for a defense," middle linebacker Rolando McClain said. "We got time to sit on the sidelines, go over checks, and just stay fresh and get prepared to go back on the field, so, I mean that played a tremendous part in us just staying fresh and being able to make plays. We’ve got to give our hats off to the offensive line and DeMarco the way they ran the ball."
Imagine that. The offense controlling the clock actually helps the defense stay fresh. What a concept! It's genius, I tell ya.
 

Cotton

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Stephen Jones: DeMarco Murray has ‘only increased our desire’ to sign him long term
By Jon Machota jmachota@dallasnews.com
1:04 pm on September 15, 2014 | Permalink

Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said in July that the team didn’t plan on having any contract talks with DeMarco Murray’s agent during the season.

Jones said they’d wait to see how the year played out.

Through the first two games of the season, Murray is leading the NFL in rushing with 285 yards and two touchdowns.

Jones was asked Monday about where the Cowboys stand with getting Murray a new contract.

“We certainly wouldn’t be against that,” Jones said Monday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “Long term, we’ve told DeMarco that we’d love to have him here. At the end of the day, it’s no different than Dez [Bryant], we want to keep our good players and DeMarco is one of them. I think I said something to that effect in camp. He’s a guy that we would like to see stay here long term. He’s certainly only increased our desire to have him stay.”

Like Bryant, Murray is in the final year of his rookie deal. While Bryant is a higher priority, the Cowboys could elect to use the franchise tag on their star receiver.

Murray, 26, is coming off his first Pro Bowl season. The former third-round pick set career-highs, rushing for 1,121 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games.

“Running backs have kind’ve evolved in this league,” Jones said in July. “It’s tough for running backs to have a lot of longevity, but there are ones that do. DeMarco’s a leader and he takes good care of himself. I think his best football is ahead of him.”
 

Simpleton

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We should either get Murray to sign a short, team-friendly deal or franchise him. And I'm not saying lowball the guy if he has a monster, 1500 yard kind of season, just give him 7-8 million over 4 years instead of 7.
 

Cowboysrock55

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We should either get Murray to sign a short, team-friendly deal or franchise him. And I'm not saying lowball the guy if he has a monster, 1500 yard kind of season, just give him 7-8 million over 4 years instead of 7.
I really like what Murray is doing but I totally agree with you. He is only 26 and clearly has tread left on his tires but the odds of him still being great past 30 are not very good. He has a long injury history. Plus we have invested a ton in the O-line which is a big reason for Murray's success as well. I saw some replays of our running game yesterday and the O-line was wonderful at run blocking. I saw guys like Leary sticking to their blocks and knocking guys way back.
 

Jiggyfly

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I really like what Murray is doing but I totally agree with you. He is only 26 and clearly has tread left on his tires but the odds of him still being great past 30 are not very good. He has a long injury history. Plus we have invested a ton in the O-line which is a big reason for Murray's success as well. I saw some replays of our running game yesterday and the O-line was wonderful at run blocking. I saw guys like Leary sticking to their blocks and knocking guys way back.
Yeah Leary is really getting lost in the o-line discussion he has some issues with lunging but if he his hands on you, its over.

He also does surprisingly well getting to the second level.
 

ravidubey

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I really like what Murray is doing but I totally agree with you. He is only 26 and clearly has tread left on his tires but the odds of him still being great past 30 are not very good. He has a long injury history. Plus we have invested a ton in the O-line which is a big reason for Murray's success as well. I saw some replays of our running game yesterday and the O-line was wonderful at run blocking. I saw guys like Leary sticking to their blocks and knocking guys way back.
We could franchise him after the season and probably pay less than the 2014 $9.54 million RB franchise tag value. Adrian Peterson and Ray Rices's contracts might both be off the books by then, lowering the five year average. Rice, Charles, Forte, Lynch, and Peterson have pushed us almost back up to 2011 levels which were super-inflated by the uncapped year before. Only Forte and Lynch look like even decent investments in that group.

Backs just take way too much punishment. Looking at Peterson and Rice' recent behavior, maybe they're transferring some of the beatings they've taken?
 

boozeman

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No interest in signing a RB to a megadeal. None.

I like Murray, but to me it is the OL making him and not the other way around.
 

L.T. Fan

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No interest in signing a RB to a megadeal. None.

I like Murray, but to me it is the OL making him and not the other way around.
I would disagree because the other RBs use the same OL and do not come close to Murray's per carry average.
 

Smitty

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No interest in signing a RB to a megadeal. None.

I like Murray, but to me it is the OL making him and not the other way around.
Agree, the OL is the impetus here.

And it's back to the "Emmitt vs. the OL" argument. People are going to say "Well then why isn't Dunbar doing the exact same thing as Murray if it's all the OL?"

Well clearly it's not ALL the OL, Murrary is taking advantage of what the OL is doing whereas Dunbar sucks. But you could plug a lot of 2nd-4th round RBs behind this OL and get good production out of them. Carlos Hyde, etc.

And quality RBs are often found in the 2nd-3rd-4th areas these days. We can do a lot better, for example, investing that money in another DL and burning a 3rd rounder on a RB rather than giving Murray a huge deal and hoping to land a starting DE or DT in the 3rd round of the draft.
 

L.T. Fan

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A 3 or 4 year deal would be ok.
Yeah. I'm not advocating a long term fat deal. It's best to keep it short as possible. My priority for Murray is to be intelligent on how you use him. If the staff is smart they can give him some help and mitigate he injury potential.
 
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Deuce

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Agree, the OL is the impetus here.

And it's back to the "Emmitt vs. the OL" argument. People are going to say "Well then why isn't Dunbar doing the exact same thing as Murray if it's all the OL?"

Well clearly it's not ALL the OL, Murrary is taking advantage of what the OL is doing whereas Dunbar sucks. But you could plug a lot of 2nd-4th round RBs behind this OL and get good production out of them. Carlos Hyde, etc.

And quality RBs are often found in the 2nd-3rd-4th areas these days. We can do a lot better, for example, investing that money in another DL and burning a 3rd rounder on a RB rather than giving Murray a huge deal and hoping to land a starting DE or DT in the 3rd round of the draft.
We have a quality back on our PS. No reason to break the bank on someone who will probably miss games every year.
 

boozeman

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Agree, the OL is the impetus here.

And it's back to the "Emmitt vs. the OL" argument. People are going to say "Well then why isn't Dunbar doing the exact same thing as Murray if it's all the OL?"

Well clearly it's not ALL the OL, Murrary is taking advantage of what the OL is doing whereas Dunbar sucks. But you could plug a lot of 2nd-4th round RBs behind this OL and get good production out of them. Carlos Hyde, etc.

And quality RBs are often found in the 2nd-3rd-4th areas these days. We can do a lot better, for example, investing that money in another DL and burning a 3rd rounder on a RB rather than giving Murray a huge deal and hoping to land a starting DE or DT in the 3rd round of the draft.
Simple case in point, look at the Browns. They have Terrence West and Isaiah Crowell, both of which are as good or better than Ben Tate who cost them good money in FA.
 

E_D_Guapo

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No interest in signing a RB to a megadeal. None.

I like Murray, but to me it is the OL making him and not the other way around.
Yep, I'm not coming off of that stance. If they can keep Williams around all season and spend a second round pick on a RB I think they'll be just fine. And if Williams gets signed by someone at some point this season then get another cheap vet with a little left in the tank to pair with the rookie. Murray is a good all-around RB but I wouldn't give him the kind of contract he's going to be looking for.

The exception would be if he suffers an injury this season & misses several games, driving his value way down. Then I'd probably gamble on him for a cheap one or two year deal, while still spending a pretty high pick in the draft.
 

boozeman

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Yep, I'm not coming off of that stance. If they can keep Williams around all season and spend a second round pick on a RB I think they'll be just fine. And if Williams gets signed by someone at some point this season then get another cheap vet with a little left in the tank to pair with the rookie. Murray is a good all-around RB but I wouldn't give him the kind of contract he's going to be looking for.

The exception would be if he suffers an injury this season & misses several games, driving his value way down. Then I'd probably gamble on him for a cheap one or two year deal, while still spending a pretty high pick in the draft.
I'd even franchise Murray.

I just have no interest in signing him long term. He has an injury history and his position is very fungible.

It is nothing personal, I like the player but you have to be realistic in how he fits overall.

We have Bryant coming due. We will have to give a stud CB like Claiborne his money.

Even players coming off of good years like Moreno were cheap in FA this past offseason.

The days of giving RBs big money are over.
 

skidadl

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We will have to give a stud CB like Claiborne his money.

:faint
 
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