George: Why handing out new contracts now would be a bad idea for 6-1 Cowboys

Carp

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Updated: 22 October 2014 12:56 AM

IRVING — The line will extend well out the door at Valley Ranch.

When this season comes to an end, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will have an office full of players and coaches with their hands out.

Coach Jason Garrett, most of the club’s assistants and at least 15 key players — including running back DeMarco Murray and receiver Dez Bryant — are in the final year of their contracts.

But Jones can’t get caught up in the Cowboys’ 6-1 start and begin handing out contract extensions to certain players and coaches. That could hurt the Cowboys more than help them.

Sip on this: How do you feel when one of your co-workers — someone who works just as hard as you do — gets a raise but you don’t? Does that make you feel valued? Does it make you want to work harder?

For many of us, that’s a hard pill to swallow. That certainly rings true for some of the most competitive men on the planet.

And several of the Cowboys would be impacted. Nine of the Cowboys’ 22 starters in Sunday’s win against the Giants are in the final year of their contracts.

All three of the team’s starting linebackers — Rolando McClain, Justin Durant and Bruce Carter — are among a large chunk of the team playing for a new deal.

The Cowboys are playing for each other and appear to have as much team chemistry as they’ve had at any point during Garrett’s tenure.

The last thing they need is for Jones to give one player a contract extension while making another wait. Or for Jones to give Garrett an extension while the players are told, “Hey, we’ll catch up with you later.”

With so many players and coaches in line for contact extensions, Jones can’t be selective midway through the season and deliver a message that one player is more valuable than the next. That would send a negative ripple through what has developed into a tight locker room.

At this point, who is more valuable to the Cowboys? Murray — the league’s leading rusher by a mile — or Bryant? No matter your answer, it’d be a close vote. So for Jones to give a contract extension midway through the season to one over the other would be hard to justify.

Jones has too often handed out long-term contract extensions based on short-term success. He must resist that temptation.

“I’ve spent more money in happy situations than we could in our lifetimes spend,” Jones said two weeks ago after the win at Seattle when asked about possibly extending Garrett’s contract. “They know I think a lot of them, but we won’t talk business. We won’t talk contracts. There’s nobody that doesn’t understand that when Jason does good, I do good. I’m being like a proud father.”

To Garrett’s credit, every time he’s been asked about a contract extension — and that includes Monday — he’s shied away. He talks about getting ready for the next game. He knows any talk of extensions now sends the wrong message.

Garrett knows the most important thing for him is for the Cowboys to keep winning.

“If you just keep trying to do things the right way, the results on the scoreboard will hopefully take care of itself,” Garrett said. “And that’s just the way I think. That’s the way we try to help this team.”

And that’s the best way to keep the momentum going.

“I hope we have our work cut out for us in the offseason and that we’re coming off a big year and two or three of the players who are up for contracts have great years,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “That’ll be a good problem to have.”

Save those problems for later, however. Don’t create new ones now.

Nothing left after 2014

Most of the Cowboys’ coaches, including Jason Garrett, and several of the team’s key players could be in line for contract extensions. Here’s a look at some of the Cowboys players in the final year of their contracts:

OFFENSE

Cole Beasley
WR
SMU-ex will be a restricted free agent in 2015


Dez Bryant
WR
Among league leaders in catches (45), receiving yards (590)


Doug Free
RT
Can be unrestricted free agent in offseason


Dwayne Harris
WR
Team’s top punt, KO returner; also leads in sp. teams tackles


Ron Leary
LG
Starter will be a restricted free agent in 2015


DeMarco Murray
RB
Leads NFL in rushing at 913 yds., almost 300 more than No. 2


Jermey Parnell
OT
Top backup OT started in place of Doug Free on Sunday

DEFENSE


Bruce Carter
LB
Has picked up level of play since moving to strongside LB


Justin Durant
LB
Leads team with 51 tackles, having perhaps his best season


Nick Hayden
DT
Has started 23 consecutive games for Cowboys


Rolando McClain
LB
Has brought physical presence; 2nd on team with 50 tackles


Henry Melton
DT
Club has a 3-year, $24 million option on him after season


Sterling Moore
CB
SMU-ex has played well in place of injured Morris Claiborne


George Selvie
DE
Was Cowboys’ top returning pass rusher (seven sacks in 2013)


Anthony Spencer
DE
Starting to regain speed, explosiveness after 2013 knee surgery
 
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Newt

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Any idea how much cap space we will have going into 2015? You have to sign Dez and do something with Demarco (sign long term or franchise, assuming he remains healthy), I would like to keep Leary and Free to keep this O-line together, at least Leary. Rolando deserves a deal if he keeps this up and I would hate to loose what he has brought to the team. Bruce Carter has played well when he's been on the field and Durant is the best kept secret in the NFL... The D-line is going to need a lot of attention too. Hope we have enough to spread around.
 

Rev

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Ouch. Didn't know it was that bad.
 

hstour

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Any idea how much cap space we will have going into 2015? You have to sign Dez and do something with Demarco (sign long term or franchise, assuming he remains healthy), I would like to keep Leary and Free to keep this O-line together, at least Leary. Rolando deserves a deal if he keeps this up and I would hate to loose what he has brought to the team. Bruce Carter has played well when he's been on the field and Durant is the best kept secret in the NFL... The D-line is going to need a lot of attention too. Hope we have enough to spread around.
You can see salaries by year here:

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/yearly/
 

Rev

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I don't want to lose any of the ones on offense. Although Beasely and Parnell should be easily replaced. Moore, McClain, Durant, and Carter are the ones I hope they keep on defense. Moore and McClain being the top priorities IMO. I think that's too much with our QB taking a good chunk out of the cap just by himself.
 

Carp

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Beasley is not getting as many looks as he was earlier in the season and I think over time you will see Escobar kind of get the work he was getting earlier in the year.
 

Cotton

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At this point, I'm okay with letting Harris go. He's going to have to really improve to change my mind on that.

Other than that, I agree with Beasley and Parnell going. I try my best to sign everyone else on offense.

I make McClain my top priority with Carter and Durant 2nd and 3rd.
 

Carp

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I want Parnell back...if we truly do become a running team then he will serve as a nice, cheap fit at RT. I need to see more, but the team does not lack confidence in him and they ran right behind him and Martin for tough yards. It worked too. My biggest issue with him is that his name is Jermey.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Any of the restricted free agents will easily be back. Leary won't have a chance to go anywhere for at least one more year. At least not without a high draft pick compensation. Beasley we will probably just tender and he will be back.
 

Texas Ace

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At this point, I'm okay with letting Harris go. He's going to have to really improve to change my mind on that.

Other than that, I agree with Beasley and Parnell going. I try my best to sign everyone else on offense.

I make McClain my top priority with Carter and Durant 2nd and 3rd.
Agreed.

I was a big Harris fan, but he's not making any progress as a WR and his contributions on ST this year have been practically non-existent. Time to let him walk unless he completely turns it around.

Dez I'm not worried about because Jerry isn't letting him walk, but I really hope we sign Murray. I can see the Jones' talking themselves into the RB-is-easy-to-replace angle. While that isn't necessarily false, I love his toughness and attitude. At the end of the day, why break up a great thing?

I'd like to keep all LB's, and I don't think it will cost much. None of those guys should be making more than 4 mill a year at most.
 

vince

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At this point, I'm okay with letting Harris go. He's going to have to really improve to change my mind on that.

Other than that, I agree with Beasley and Parnell going. I try my best to sign everyone else on offense.

I make McClain my top priority with Carter and Durant 2nd and 3rd.
I agree with this however top priority should be Dez or Demarco. Hopefully AP is willing to sign a cheap deal to free up some $ and keep us from resigning Demarco.
 

Texas Ace

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I agree with this however top priority should be Dez or Demarco. Hopefully AP is willing to sign a cheap deal to free up some $ and keep us from resigning Demarco.
Why would you not want to resign a 26 year old back who even with a heavy load this season, will have a relatively light workload for his career over a 30 year old with a ton of wear and tear?
 

Cotton

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I agree with this however top priority should be Dez or Demarco. Hopefully AP is willing to sign a cheap deal to free up some $ and keep us from resigning Demarco.
I meant top priority on defense. I think top priority on offense is obviously Dez.
 

vince

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Why would you not want to resign a 26 year old back who even with a heavy load this season, will have a relatively light workload for his career over a 30 year old with a ton of wear and tear?
He's gonna cost us too much money. And plus he's proven in the past that he's injury prone. Hate to sound like a pessimist, but I'm just waiting for him to go down.
 

Texas Ace

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He's gonna cost us too much money. And plus he's proven in the past that he's injury prone. Hate to sound like a pessimist, but I'm just waiting for him to go down.
But if he stays healthy all year?
 

vince

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But if he stays healthy all year?
The price has to be right, it's all I'm saying. I won't discredit what he's accomplished this year but he's suffered more injuries than he has broken records.
 

Smitty

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I wouldn't be so quick to get rid of Harris.

He's kinda ideal. He's not a negative at WR so you don't have to feel bad suiting up a guy for ST only, he's actually a guy who can contribute at WR unlike schlubs like Sam Hurd. He hasn't gotten the looks but he's definitely got more ability.

Plus he's eventually going to break another return.
 

UncleMilti

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Salary cap is a joke....I believe Dallas can resign every one of the players listed plus sign a couple FA's if needed.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Dez needs to be priority number one. At his age and talent level you just absolutely can not let him go. After that I'd be worried about McClain and Murray. I want both guys back but I don't want to break the bank on either. Most others on the list I'd consider for a cheap price but I'm not desperate for any. The restricted free agents should be retained. Especially Leary (Probably with a high tender). Either Parnell or Free should be back to start at RT depending on the cost is which I'd prefer.
 
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