Interesting comments by Stephen Jones on Romo contract

Wood · Jan 23, 2015

Stephan said Dallas might not redo Romo contract and just take $27 mill cap hit this year. That tells me Dallas offers will be on low side for cowboys UFAs. Here are following offers I can see Dallas making:

Bryant - $14 mill season (10 years for $140 million) guarantee of $35 million (more on this below)
Murray - $4 mill season (4 years for $16 million) guarantee $14 million
McClain - $2 mill season (2 years for $4 million)
Durant - $1.5 mill season (3 years for $4.5 million)
Carter - $2.5 mill season (4 years for $10 million)
Free - $2.5 mill season (3 years for $7.5 million)
Parnell - $2 mill season (3 years for $6 million)
Spencer - $1 mill season (1 year contract)
Hayden - $1.5 mill season (3 years for $4.5 million)
Clutts - $700k season (3 years for $2.1 million)

No contract offers for: Melton, Selvie, Harris, Moore or Jones

Those who don't accept contract offers - Dallas goes into draft or inexpensive FA to replace them.

Dez contract: I think guarantee needs to be atleast $35 million because if Dallas franchises him in 2015 they pay $12 mill guaranteed. Then if they decide to franchise him in 2016 for $15 (guaranteed) they will have already paid $27 mill in guaranteed money. Lets remember this is all about the guaranteed money and not length of deal.

big dog cowboy · Jan 23, 2015

George: Why restructuring Romo's deal is risky business; Cowboys may decide against it
Follow @DMN_George bgeorge@***BANNED-URL***
Staff Writer
Published: 22 January 2015 08:37 PM
Updated: 22 January 2015 11:50 PM

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/incoming/20150122-pro-bowl-football_41848497_694385.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/Pro+Bowl+Football_41848497_694385.JPG
Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo throws during a practice session at Luke Air Force Base for the NFL Football Pro Bowl Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

MOBILE, Ala. — After fighting their way through a tight salary cap situation the last few seasons, the Cowboys are finally in decent shape fiscally. And they’d like to keep it that way.

That’s why executive vice president Stephen Jones said “it’s not a given” that the Cowboys will restructure quarterback Tony Romo’s contract again this offseason.

Romo has the NFL’s highest 2015 cap hit at $27.773 million. But the Cowboys can create $12.8 million of cap room by converting $16 million of Romo’s $17 million base salary into a signing bonus. That’s money that could be spent to help sign receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray to extensions.

Here’s the quandary: Pushing more possible dead money down the road on a soon-to-be 35-year-old quarterback coming off two back surgeries is risky business.

“Obviously you don’t like to mortgage your future if you can help it,” Jones said Wednesday at the Senior Bowl. “We started making the move toward being a younger team and going a different direction in terms of pushing money out, so we’d prefer not to do that, but at the same time every situation has ramifications and you have to make tough decisions sometimes.

“I don’t think there’s an exact science, ‘Hey, we’re going to do it or not do it.’”

The Cowboys know they’ll eventually have to pay big for their credit card approach with Romo. But do they pay off more of their Romo debt now or increase their pain for later?

The Cowboys restructured Romo’s contract last offseason, freeing up $10 million in cap space to help them climb out of a $25 million hole. But converting $12.5 million of Romo’s $13.5 million base salary into a signing bonus last year increased his cap hit over the next five years by $2.5 million a season.

Read more: http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...l-is-risky-business-cowboys-may-not-do-it.ece

yimyammer · Jan 23, 2015

Love the fact that they're finally considering and showing restraint. It would be great if they could absorb Romos hit and still sign everyone they want and have another great year. Seems like that would give them a ton of flexibility moving forward

jobberone · Jan 23, 2015

You can only dance for so long.

Nirvana · Jan 23, 2015

This is just posturing for discussions with player agents. Of course we are going to restructure Romo. We are impotent in free agency otherwise. If they viewed the team as a long range overhaul, I might buy the story. They want the prize next season.

Mr Cowboy · Jan 23, 2015

They have no choice but to restructure Romo, the window is barely open. No sense in saving it for when Romo is gone, we will be paying a QB minimum for at least 4 years.

Zordon · Jan 23, 2015

dumb...the window is now.

LatinMind · Jan 23, 2015

big dog cowboy said:
George: Why restructuring Romo's deal is risky business; Cowboys may decide against it
Follow @DMN_George bgeorge@***BANNED-URL***
Staff Writer
Published: 22 January 2015 08:37 PM
Updated: 22 January 2015 11:50 PM

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/incoming/20150122-pro-bowl-football_41848497_694385.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/Pro+Bowl+Football_41848497_694385.JPG
Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo throws during a practice session at Luke Air Force Base for the NFL Football Pro Bowl Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

MOBILE, Ala. — After fighting their way through a tight salary cap situation the last few seasons, the Cowboys are finally in decent shape fiscally. And they’d like to keep it that way.

That’s why executive vice president Stephen Jones said “it’s not a given” that the Cowboys will restructure quarterback Tony Romo’s contract again this offseason.

Romo has the NFL’s highest 2015 cap hit at $27.773 million. But the Cowboys can create $12.8 million of cap room by converting $16 million of Romo’s $17 million base salary into a signing bonus. That’s money that could be spent to help sign receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray to extensions.

Here’s the quandary: Pushing more possible dead money down the road on a soon-to-be 35-year-old quarterback coming off two back surgeries is risky business.

“Obviously you don’t like to mortgage your future if you can help it,” Jones said Wednesday at the Senior Bowl. “We started making the move toward being a younger team and going a different direction in terms of pushing money out, so we’d prefer not to do that, but at the same time every situation has ramifications and you have to make tough decisions sometimes.

“I don’t think there’s an exact science, ‘Hey, we’re going to do it or not do it.’”

The Cowboys know they’ll eventually have to pay big for their credit card approach with Romo. But do they pay off more of their Romo debt now or increase their pain for later?

The Cowboys restructured Romo’s contract last offseason, freeing up $10 million in cap space to help them climb out of a $25 million hole. But converting $12.5 million of Romo’s $13.5 million base salary into a signing bonus last year increased his cap hit over the next five years by $2.5 million a season.

Read more: http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sports/...l-is-risky-business-cowboys-may-not-do-it.ece

What i get from this article is Stephen was asked a question and he answered it, and this writer wanted to grab the attention of readers. Cause this article says absolutely nothing from Jones' side. He says they might or might not. He says you try and not mortgage the future but then says but every situation has ramifications and you have to make tough decisions. Consider yourselves sucked.

We will know who and who will not be available in FA after the superbowl. I think they know who they would be willing to spend money for and if they are available theres no doubt i think they would restructure Romo. If not then they wouldnt need to IMO. With the new CBS yr i think it will kick the cap up more then 143 to 145 or more. Add in Dallas' 3mil they moved over. I think with a restructure of Tyron and some releases they will be able to do what they want without Romos money.

endersdragon · Jan 23, 2015

Nirvana said:
This is just posturing for discussions with player agents. Of course we are going to restructure Romo. We are impotent in free agency otherwise. If they viewed the team as a long range overhaul, I might buy the story. They want the prize next season.

We can create over 30 million in cap space without it pretty easily just by releasing/restructuring a few players like Carr, Melton, and Free. If we basically have Dez's cap hit be just a million, he won't effect us much (and it makes more sense to kick his cap hit down the road than Romo's, as he is a young WR, not an old QB). Honestly what I think this comes down to is can we get Dez on a longterm contract or do we have to franchise him (in which case we don't have the ability to take a low cap hit with him). Dez has a lot of power in these contract negotiations because of that.

Toruk_Makto · Jan 23, 2015

They are restructuring Romo and he'll play another 2-3 years behind this line.

Cap sheet is in a good spot.

Szczepanik · Jan 23, 2015

The cap keeps increasing per year, by the time Romo is gone the cap hit from this won't be as severe as we think.

CoCo · Jan 23, 2015

Read a quote from Jerry recently that mirrored this. Essentially, its going to have to be a pretty attractive player(s) for them to redo Romo. Hogwash! That's just cloak and dagger. They're going to need some of that money to keep things moving in the right direction. It's not time to get out of the Romo business. It's time to double-down.

Hoofbite · Jan 23, 2015

“Obviously you don’t like to mortgage your future if you can help it,” Jones said Wednesday at the Senior Bowl. “We started making the move toward being a younger team and going a different direction in terms of pushing money out, so we’d prefer not to do that, but at the same time every situation has ramifications and you have to make tough decisions sometimes

Just gonna leave this right here.

Silver N Blue · Jan 23, 2015

All he has to do is lower his base salary and SJ can give him an increase in the form of a yearly bonus. Problem solved.

Alexander · Jan 23, 2015

Nirvana said:
This is just posturing for discussions with player agents. Of course we are going to restructure Romo. We are impotent in free agency otherwise. If they viewed the team as a long range overhaul, I might buy the story. They want the prize next season.

Or they could assume they were a Bryant screw job away from the NFCC game and take the same cautious approach in free agency, keep their fingers crossed on some players taking a step forward (Gardner, Brent, Whaley or whomever) and bank on the draft fortifying the roster.

I know it is not popular to think that they would not go all in for a big push, but I just do not get that impression they are posturing. The Joneses are horrible with poker faces.

MichaelWinicki · Jan 23, 2015

I hope they don't push forward Romo's cap hit.

65fastback2plus2 · Jan 23, 2015

Szczepanik said:
The cap keeps increasing per year, by the time Romo is gone the cap hit from this won't be as severe as we think.

Not only that, but if we get a decent rookie that can start...you have 4 years on their cheap rookie deal that romo can stay on the cap hit list. Same deal as paying a single quarterback the entire time. easy.

noletime95 · Jan 23, 2015

I really don't get it unless Romo's agent wants something in return? Gotta be posturing, I don't see any downside

Bowdown27 · Jan 23, 2015

Hard to say what is going to go on. I think they restructure to help resign a lot of our guys. It doesn't make sense to take the cap hit and not resign a lot of our guys and build towards the future. Most of the team is young. We were one catch away from the nfc championship game. Our time is now.

Hoofbite · Jan 23, 2015

If the team is truly moving in a new direction they won't restructure him, Tyron, or probably anyone. I can't think of many other candidates with big base salaries.

Cut Melton and June 1st on Carr. That's good space right off the bat. Almost $20M when you add the rollover. I'd decline the option on Free. I don't think it saves anything based on the figures provided by some of the main cap sites because he doesn't have a base salary attributed to next year. I don't think there's solid info on the restructure on the cap sites and I don't think they've accounted for his possible cap charge for next year correctly.

Assuming $5M bump to the cap, I think Dallas opens around $10M under. Based on Spotrac's numbers minus $1M for Doug Free's dead money they have listed. The number they have doesn't make sense.

$10M to start, add the $20M plus any additional increase over the $5M bump.

$30M in space and no restructuring necessary. Well, $22M in useable space as Carr's savings don't come until later.

Dez's 1st year can be low, likely not less than $3M just based on SB portion so $19M to improve with when FA opens. Worst case Franchise Tag still leaves $10M. Could have roughly the same if Dez signed and Murray was tagged.

Team doesn't need to restructure this year.

Interesting comments by Stephen Jones on Romo contract

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What's it going to be then, eh?

"You want some?"

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