Dallas Cowboys: What Is Your Plan B?
By Dink Kearney
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys and their off season concerns, we all know their primary concerns are Dez Bryant and to some extent, DeMarco Murray. The Cowboys put the Franchise Tag on Bryant and basically are waiting to see if Murray will turn down a contract offer from other teams and rejoin them. On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys have decisions to make about Bruce Carter, Rolando McClain, and Dustin Durant. Not to mention the secondary with FA Sterling Moore and injury prone CB Morris Claiborne.
Although those defensive issues need to be addressed and are important, Bryant and Murray are more important. That simple.
From my vantage point, it looks like the Cowboys will sign Bryant and Murray to a long term contracts, Carter, Durant, and Moore will re-sign also and Claiborne will finally produce like the first round pick we knew him to be.
But that scenario only happens in a perfect world. And the Cowboys do not reside in a perfect world. Heck, they can barely afford to keep their top two offensive stars.
So I’m asking do the Cowboys have a Plan B if….
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Bryant gets highly upset because he’s Franchised and doesn’t report to OTA’s, training camp or threatens to sit out the season. Don’t look at me like I have two heads. Bryant made it clear to the Cowboys not to test “my loyalty”. The Cowboys are doing just that.
Bryant is clearly one of the two best receivers in the game and an argument can be made he is the best. His stats says he should be paid like Calvin Johnson and then some. And here is the proof. Bryant had 16 receiving TD’s and 1,320 receiving yards this season. His 16 receiving TD’s led the league.
But it gets better.
Bryant has scored double-digit TD’s in the last three seasons and he has 56 TD’s in five seasons. He’s in some elite company. Only two more WR’s have more TD’s in five seasons than Bryant. Guess who they are? Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (66) and future Hall of Famer Randy Moss (60).
According to my math, that’s more than any other receiver in the league, especially the man he’s always compared to, Johnson. Not only do you pay him what he’s worth, you pay him more than Johnson because he’s simply more valuable, from leadership and motivation to not getting injured, Bryant should be paid more.
And Bryant can negotiate with other teams. Of course, they would owe the Cowboys two first round picks if they signed Bryant. But we all know that’s not going to happen.
But what if Bryant holds out? We will have to wait and see.
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And what are the Cowboys plans if Murray signs elsewhere? The Cowboys will be in big trouble because they have no featured RB because Joseph Randle is under investigation for domestic violence and its a good chance he won’t return next year. Lance Dunbar and Ryan Williams are situational backs at best. Do the Cowboys go after Mark Ingram, which has been rumored.
Ingram is no Murray and he has a history of being injured. And for all of you football junkies that believe you can put any RB behind that massive offensive line and do what Murray did are dead wrong. It’s not that simple. Murray gained a lot of yardage on his own after the o-line opened up those holes.
Give the man his credit for fighting for extra yardage and not going down like some wimp. By no means am I taking away credit from that great and massive offensive line. Just saying the man is a beast and one of the best in the game.
So if he walks, do the Cowboys get Ingram, draft a RB or use a RB by committee? None of those options look good except drafting a RB named Melvin Gordon or Todd Gurley.
And I don’t see that happening.
If Bryant holds out because he’s been franchised and Murray signs with another team, the Cowboys will be in big trouble. Losing the NFL’s leading rusher and leading WR in receiving TD’s will be a big loss. Instead of aiming for first place in the NFC East, they will be looking at last place.
So I hope the Cowboys have a legitimate Plan B!