The Dallas Cowboys Should Ask, What Would Bill Do?
That would be Bill Belichick, and the reason we invoke him is because of the ongoing contract negotiations between the Cowboys and their superstar wide receiver Dez Bryant.
Belichick of course, is the active coach with more career wins and 12th on the all time list; he also owns 3 Super Bowl rings and has developed the famous “Patriot way” of managing a winning team in the salary cap era.
But, what is the Patriot way and why do we care? In a nutshell it means that no player is bigger than the team (unless is called Tom Brady, and even that is up for discussion).
Year after year, Belichick let good players looking for bigger contracts go, such as Wes Welker, Logan Mankins, Richard Seymour, Randy Moss and Mike Vrabel. However, doing exactly the opposite to what most teams do (which is paying your best players), the Pats have been the most successful team of the last decade and a half.
So, here we are, just trying to get out from cap hell, and now comes Mr. Loyalty, better known as Dez Bryant, asking to be paid like one of the three best wide receivers in the league. He might be, or he might not be, I’m not sure; I think Calvin Johnson and A.J. Green are in a league of their own, and then comes a group of really great receivers such as Brandon Marshall, Demaryius Thomas, Larry Fitzgerald (in decline), Jordy Nelson, Antonio Bryant and Dez Bryant.
Many times we’ve seen Dez disappearing act in the middle of close games. Then again, many times we’ve seen Dez taking over close games and winning them by himself, just like he did against the Jaguars in London.
The point here is not if he deserves to be paid or not, the point is what is better for the team? You will also have to pay your starting running back that is on pace to break the single season franchise running record, hold by some guy called Emmitt Smith.
So, who would you pay? Dez? DeMarco? Both of them? None? Pending free agents include Rolando McClain, Bruce Carter, Justin Durant, Doug Free, Nick Hayden and George Selvie.
What would Bill do?
Nov 9, 2014; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) looks for room to run during the second half of the game Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports
The Cowboys are starting to behave like a cap-responsible team, in letting go future Hall of Famer, Demarcus Ware, they proved it. They are also starting to win, this is no time to break the bank for a player. No matter how good he might be. If he is not an elite quarterback, he is not worthy of depleting your team of talent, because you just don’t have enough money to pay them all.
If Dez is not happy with a reported contract that would pay him over $114 million in 10 years, then the Cowboys should give him the franchise tag and get two more years of his explosive talent, before letting him go. That would give them time to find a replacement and money to pay good players in every other area of need.
I’m not sure where that would leave DeMarco Murray, but just yesterday we saw an undrafted, unclaimed rookie running for 199 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns, against one of the best teams in the NFL. It’s not coincidence that he was running for the Patriots.
Let’s build a winning team for years to come, instead of just making happy a loyal and uber-talented diva, err I mean receiver. That’s not the way to win in today’s NFL.
Just ask the Pats fans if they are missing Wes Welker or Logan Mankins these days..?