Jerry Jones Continues to Manage the Cowboys Salary Cap: Cuts Terence Newman and More
Dallas Cowboys GM Jerry Jones is frantically trying to compensate for the $10 million penalty the NFL imposed on the team’s salary cap. The Cowboys can spread the $10 million in dead money over the next two seasons. As expected, the Cowboys released Terence Newman Tuesday.
The Dallas Cowboys also cut kicker David Buehler. As cool as it was having a kicker that came close to leading the team in Special Teams tackles, David Buehler was expendable: Dan ‘The Ice-Man” Bailey had an incredible rookie season kicking FG’s. Many would argue that Buehler is the toughest kicker to ever play in the NFL, but Dan Bailey is still more accurate on FG’s.
Terence Newman was going to cost $8.016 million against the salary cap in 2012; by cutting him, the Cowboys have created either $4 million or $6 million in space to sign free agents depending on how they designate the roster change.
ESPN reported yesterday that Doug Free and Orlando Scandrick have both re-worked their contracts to free up around 8.5 million in cap space for the 2012 NFL season.
Terence Newman was a very good player for the Dallas Cowboys for many years, but his play dropped off considerably last season, and he continued to suffer from nagging injuries. Cowboy fans will remember Newman as the guy Bill Parcells described as “the best athlete on the roster” after he didn’t allow a single TD reception in 2005, and the guy who allowed only 16 receptions all year in 2006 (or 2007?), and the guy who was the cornerstone of this secondary for years. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2007 and 2009. They will remember that in his rookie season he had 3 picks in a single game against the Redskins. In his last season as a Cowboy, despite an overall decline in his play, he still had 4 picks, and he took one to the house!
The Cowboys are now pretty thin at CB. Frank Walker and Alan Ball are both unrestricted free agents.
The good news for Cowboys fans is that Brandon Carr is expected to visit with the Cowboys before he meets with any other teams. Given the quick adjustments to existing player contracts to create cap space, the Cowboys are likely going to try to sign Brandon Carr before he leaves Dallas to visit any other clubs.
At about 11:00 p.m. last night. Josh Ellis explained that the contract talks with Brandon Carr went “late into Tuesday night” :
"The Cowboys rolled out the welcome wagon for cornerback Brandon Carr on Tuesday night, but the length of the contract negotiations proved both sides were committed to finding the right deal.Coaches Jason Garrett, Rob Ryan, Jerome Henderson and Joe Baker left for Cowboys Stadium Tuesday afternoon, joining a front office contingent intent on hammering out a deal with the cornerback early in the free agency period. In nearby Arlington, the organization rolled out the red carpet in an attempt to impress the four-year Kansas City Chiefs veteran, considered by many the top cover man available in free agency."
Other relevant news for the beginning of the NFL’s 2012 Free Agency period:
1. There was a rush on WR’s on the first day of free agency; Laurent Robinson is now one of the top WR’s still unsigned. He is scheduled to visit with at least a few NFL teams, including the Jacksonville Jaguars and NY Jets.
2. The Cowboys were unable to work out a new contract with FB Tony Fiammetta. He will have a chance to seek a deal elsewhere. Jerry Jones could have put the restricted free-agent tag on Fiammetta, which would have made his salary $1.26 million in 2012 and guaranteed that the Cowboys received a fourth-round pick if signed with another team, but Jones decided against it.
3. Jerry Jones chose not to tender a contract offer to any of their restricted free agents(Kevin Ogletree and Jesse Holley amongst others). The Cowboys did put one-year offers out to exclusive rights free agents Jeremy Parnell and Clifton Geathers.
4. Martellus Bennett tweeted that he was “excited” about visiting with the New York Giants. Getting excited about meeting with a division rival should tell you everything you need to know about ol Marty B. (Artie, you were so right, sir!)
5. Kyle Orton, whom the Cowboys tried to claim off waivers last season, is scheduled to meet with the Cowboys front office this week.
6. Carl Nicks is rumored to close to a deal with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers; the New Orleans Saints are reported to be making a strong play for Ben Grubbs.