Dez already asked to take a pay cut?

[Hoofbite]

He did, but in Ware's case he had a season with a third of his normal production going into a year with a 2014 salary of 16 Million. That is a lot different than the situation with Dez today.

Ware's 2014 cap hit was $16M but his salary wasn't. Similar to Dez's 2018 cap hit of $16.5M with a salary of $13M.

Ware coming off a bad season and going into a salary cap number of $16M versus Dez coming off his 3rd consecutive pedestrian season and going into a salary cap number of $16.5M. Situations really aren't that different at all, and Dez would be wise to listen to Ware because Ware didn't take the pay cut and he was released.

 

[Direwolf63]

https://insidethestar.com/fake-news-demarcus-ware-never-took-pay-cut-cowboys/

Romo and Witten restructured, but I don't think they ever took a pay cut.

The only guy I can think of to take a straight cut was Carr. There may have been one or two others, but that's it.

 

[KJJ]

And somehow parlayed it into a Super Bowl ring.

He was able to do that because his decline in production was due to an injury. Ware was off to a great start in 2013 with 4 sacks, a pass defense and an INT in the first 3 games. He then came down with a leg injury that affected him the rest of the season. Jerry made the comment that the first thing to go on a player is their legs when referring to Ware. He believed Ware was done.

He proved he wasn’t done in Denver with a number of sacks and helping to lead the Broncos #1 defense to a championship. The loss of Ware cost us our pass rush in 2014 and it was the lack of a pass rush that got us knocked off in Green Bay in the playoffs that year.

 

[links18]

He was able to do that because his decline in production was due to an injury. Ware was off to a great start in 2013 with 4 sacks, a pass defense and an INT in the first 3 games. He then came down with a leg injury that affected him the rest of the season. Jerry made the comment that the first thing to go on a player is their legs when referring to Ware. He believed Ware was done.

He proved he wasn’t done in Denver with a number of sacks and helping to lead the Broncos #1 defense to a championship. The loss of Ware cost us our pass rush in 2014 and it was the lack of a pass rush that got us knocked off in Green Bay in the playoffs that year.

In other words, Jerry is a moron?

 

[TonyS]

Romo and Witten restructured, but I don't think they ever took a pay cut.

The only guy I can think of to take a straight cut was Carr. There may have been one or two others, but that's it.

Doug Free did as well, me thinks.

 

[KJJ]

In other words, Jerry is a moron?

It was clearly a stupid move by Jerry. Ware had more than 20 regular season sacks after leaving the Cowboys and several playoff sacks during Denver’s championship season. Our pass rush was one of our biggest problems and we parted with our top pass rusher. It made no sense other than to save money.

 

[xwalker]

DeMarcus Ware to Dez Bryant: 'Take the pay cut or you're gone'
The legend has some potent words for a seemingly inflexible Dez Bryant

"Hell, no. I believe in me, yeah."

Such were the poignant words from Dez Bryant when asked if he'd accept a pay cut from the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.

The All-Pro entered 2017 with a mountain of expectations heaped upon his shoulder pads, on the heels of battling health issues the previous two seasons along with lessened production. This season hasn't helped his case overall, despite some game-breaking plays here and there, as his output remains an issue as it relates to weighing it against his current salary.

**Follow @VoiceOfTheStar on Twitter for up-to-the-second news and analysis!**

Bryant signed a five-year, $70 million contract extension in 2015 and is set to earn a base of $12.5 million in 2018. Between that and his $4M signing bonus, he'll smack the Cowboys' salary cap for a cool $16.5 million this offseason, lending to the obvious call for a potential pay cut. The Cowboys' all-time leader in receiving touchdowns will have none of that talk though, making it clear while there's a selection of issues that lend to his downward trend -- none of them are accountable to his talent level.

The NFL is a business if it's nothing else though, and Bryant is not naive to the reality his financial inflexibility could put the team in a position they'd rather not be in. While it remains unlikely the Cowboys would move on from their now-legendary wide receiver in a few months, it isn't impossible.

Just ask resident Cowboys' legend and future Hall of Fame linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who once sat in the very seat Bryant does now.

https://247sports.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/Bolt/VIDEO-Dallas-Cowboys-legend-DeMarcus-Ware-tells-Dez-Bryant-to-take-the-pay-cut-or-youre-gone-112858330?utm_source=247Sports Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=171229_094939_Dallas Cowboys&utm_content=Link&liveconnect=80-7C-C4-12-59-5D-E4-64-37-7B-B4-D5-4E-7B-F7-E2171229_094939DallasCowboys

I don't think Ware would say this to a player that he respects.

 

[cowboy_ron]

After all this team has done for Dez since drafting him ie: having basically a "babysitter" with him 24/7 to keep his bi-polar azz out of trouble, tolerating his temper tantrums on the sidelines and he's not willing give at all?.........Me first players need to go.

 

[jobberone]

I don't think Ware would say this to a player that he respects.

Probably not. Two different kinds of people and players.

 

[Kaiser]

Ware's 2014 cap hit was $16M but his salary wasn't. Similar to Dez's 2018 cap hit of $16.5M with a salary of $13M.

Ware coming off a bad season and going into a salary cap number of $16M versus Dez coming off his 3rd consecutive pedestrian season and going into a salary cap number of $16.5M. Situations really aren't that different at all, and Dez would be wise to listen to Ware because Ware didn't take the pay cut and he was released.

You are right, Ware's number was a cap hit of 16MM, which is roughly the same as Dez next year (16.5).

And I love Ware, my oldest son was born on the day of the Bears game in 2010 and I had my sisters going for hours that the baby's first and middle names were DeMarcus and Ware. But there are major differences IMO, Ware was coming off two down seasons of going from 19 sacks to 11 to 6. His 2014 Cap Hit of 16MM would have made him the second highest paid DE in the NFL that year behind Mario Williams. There were also injury questions with Ware,

The other major difference is that with the cap hit of 16MM the same, the total team cap for 2014 was 25% less at 133 Million while it will be 178 Million next year. Dallas doesn't need the cap room next year, but needed it badly in 2014.

 

[Kaiser]

He proved he wasn’t done in Denver with a number of sacks and helping to lead the Broncos #1 defense to a championship. The loss of Ware cost us our pass rush in 2014 and it was the lack of a pass rush that got us knocked off in Green Bay in the playoffs that year.

But there was no way under the cap to keep Ware at his scheduled salary and Ware was clearly overpaid (30MM) for his time in Denver. Ware putting up good numbers in Denver had more to do with Von MIller than DeMarcus himself.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Number of dollars in Dez Bryant's 2018 Contract: 12,500,000

Number of posts we will see about Dez Bryant's 2018 Contract: 14,625,986

Number of dollars that will be cut from Dez Bryant's 2018 Contract: 0

Jerry's just threw all kind rave reviews his way .........(google it )

 

[KJJ]

But there was no way under the cap to keep Ware at his scheduled salary and Ware was clearly overpaid (30MM) for his time in Denver. Ware putting up good numbers in Denver had more to do with Von MIller than DeMarcus himself.

Had he put up 15 sacks that season and not played hurt most of the season there would’ve been no talk about him taking a pay cut. Jerry could’ve paid him he just didn’t feel Ware’s production that season warranted his current salary. He was getting older and Jerry felt he was just about done.

 

[Section446]

Just cut him if he won't agree to it, you might even cut him if he does. He has no power in this, he's been a terrible WR the last few seasons.

 

[KJJ]

Just cut him if he won't agree to it, you might even cut him if he does. He has no power in this, he's been a terrible WR the last few seasons.

He hasn’t been terrible he’s scored 14 TDs the past two seasons but he has been disappointing and clearly hasn’t lived up to his contract. If we release him and don’t find an upgrade then TWill becomes our #1 WR. He’s not even a good #2 WR.

 

[xwalker]

The problem is Dez is not a #1 WR-- but he is a great #2. Twill is not a great #2 WR-- but he is a solid #3. Beasley is a role player nothing more.

If you cut Dez-- you now need a #1 AND #2 WRs. This team will not spend in free agency and try to build through the draft. I'm fine with investing a first round pick at WR-- but we're still too thin at the position w/o Dez IMO, with too many additional holes to fill to invest another top 100 pick in the position.

Therefore-- the best case situation is to ask Dez to take a paycut-- and draft a #1 WR in April. Then-- you part ways with Dez after next year.

Or use the 12.5M to fund the 1st year of a contract for a free agent WR.

 

[LatinMind]

What actually concerns me more than the potential moving on with out Dez, is the fear that they over inflate the value of replacing him, and reach in the draft too early.

Where they are drafting they will have the chance to get Calvin Ridley or Courtland Sutton. Both are worthy of that spot. I think as the draft gets closer Ridley is going to fall because of the size of Sutton. The NFL loves size.

 

[xwalker]

This, according to DeMarcus Ware.

"They're going to go - they already went to Dez and said we're not going to pay you 12.5, can you do something for us to help out the team? If you say no, I'm not going to take a pay cut - guess what, you're not going to be with the Dallas Cowboys.”

There were some on this board that doubted whether this conversation would happen. It apparently already has.

Personally, I’d rather cut him then have him at a reduced salary. Dez’s better years are behind him.

He’s not capable of carrying the #1 WR mantle at this point in his career. He’s top 5 in the league in drops, which are drive killers, and he handles the ball carelessly. They’re covering him 1 on 1 now, he doesn’t have the speed to scare anyone and is unreliable as a red zone threat.

Wide receiver will be a major priority this off season.

I highly doubt that they've asked him to take a pay cut yet. That is something they would do after the season.

I would be happy if they had done it but I just don't think they have yet.

 

[KJJ]

With Dez possibly having to take a pay cut, he’s lucky he didn’t purchase that 2.5M Bugatti he was rumored to be looking at when he signed his contract.

 

[ConstantReboot]

The problem is Dez is not a #1 WR-- but he is a great #2. Twill is not a great #2 WR-- but he is a solid #3. Beasley is a role player nothing more.

If you cut Dez-- you now need a #1 AND #2 WRs. This team will not spend in free agency and try to build through the draft. I'm fine with investing a first round pick at WR-- but we're still too thin at the position w/o Dez IMO, with too many additional holes to fill to invest another top 100 pick in the position.

Therefore-- the best case situation is to ask Dez to take a paycut-- and draft a #1 WR in April. Then-- you part ways with Dez after next year.

This team doesn't need Dez. Whether he's a #1 or #2 he is nothing more than a distraction right now.

The team has thrown him the ball many times and he simply causes INTs and/or fumbles the ball. Mentally unstable players are not a #1 or a #2. They simply are a major distraction.

The team was fine when he was injured and Dak did well in his absence. Now that he's back, the team has taken a step back. Let him walk or get rid of him. The team will be fine without him.