Cowboys: Finally, The Cowboys Are Being Smart

After years of over paying for average free agents, the Dallas Cowboys are spending their money wisely in the free agent market.

Not long ago, four years to be exact, the Dallas Cowboys signed free-agent corner back Brandon Carr to a whopping $50 million dollar contract. The former Kansas City Chiefs corner was supposed to upgrade a pathetic Cowboys’ secondary. The plan was for Carr to tag team with first-round pick Morris Claiborne to give the Cowboys a formidable secondary.

In Carr’s first two seasons with the Cowboys, the defensive back had a total of six interceptions, respectable to say the least. Since then, the high-paid corner hasn’t had an interception in two seasons. To put it bluntly, Carr has committed highway robbery, stealing millions from the Cowboys and playing well below average, and awful is more like it.

Not only has Carr’s play been putrid, he’s become the poster child for wide receiver highlight reels. We all witnessed New York Giants’ receiver Odell Beckham, Jr.’s one-handed, acrobatic catch over Carr. One of the greatest catches ever, it illustrates the lackluster play of Carr more than anything else.

Because of Carr’s mediocre play, and guaranteed money, the Cowboys front office is spending their money wisely in the free agent market, no longer signing unproven or average players to large pay days. The days of signing free agents to massive contracts are no more.

This goes for the Cowboys own free agents, too. It started last year when the Cowboys’ brass drew a hard line in the sand and offered then-free-agent running back DeMarco Murray a four-year, $24 million contract that included $12 fully guaranteed.

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Although Murray set the Cowboys’ franchise rushing record with 1,845 rushing yards and led the league in rushing in 2014, Dallas didn’t believe Murray deserved a massive contract with a lot guaranteed money, like the one he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. The divisional rival offered Murray $42 million with $21 million guaranteed.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones believed Murray’s injury-prone history and workload didn’t warrant him more guaranteed money. Stephen, the gatekeeper of the Cowboys salary cap, was so disciplined that he didn’t budge one bit to offer Murray more money. It was a classic case of take it or leave it.

The Cowboys were so confident in allowing Murray to walk that they took their chances on troublesome Joseph Randle as the starting running back in 2015. From a financial standpoint, that decision spoke volumes about the direction about the Cowboys.

This is the same organization that overpaid former running back Marion Barber and wideout Miles Austin after they played one spectacular season. Both players were awarded nice contracts with a substantial amount of guaranteed money.

Barber signed a seven-year, $45 million dollar contract with $16 million guaranteed. “Marion the Barbarian” earned that much money by scoring 24 touchdowns in two seasons as a non-starter.

Austin had a breakout year in 2009 when he caught 81 passes for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning the undrafted free agent a career payday. The Cowboys signed the talented receiver to a six-year, $54 million dollar contract.

Although Austin made the Pro Bowl in ’09 and ’10, injuries hampered his production. Barber never lived up to his contract and never rushed for 1,000 yards.