Agent's Take: A fair contract solution for Dez Bryant and the Cowboys

[Nightman]

So what. Dez is still the superior player getting jobbed...

you brought him up

 

[CF74]

you brought him up

I was quoting the article and his contract is still intact therefore still relevant...

-Next

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I could see this contract becoming reality.

 

[Doomsday101]

Seem's fair to me, but of course the Megatron contract pretty much messed it up for everyone; because of that, I doubt Dez would agree.

I agree and I don't even think CJ money is even in discussion for the Cowboys. I like this write up because it did not try to make 1 side or the other the bad guy. If Dez was CJ money it is not going to happen on the other end Dallas has to be willing to put up an offer that puts Dez within the top 3 WR money.

 

[AbeBeta]

I agree with this guys take on what a fair contract should be

Suggested contract
Signing Bonus: $7.5 Million ($3.75 Million with 15 days of execution; $3.75 Million payable in 17 equal installments over the regular season)
Guaranteed Money: $36.75 Million
Fully Guaranteed At Signing: $30 Million
Deal Total: $71.25 Million
Contract Length: 5 Years
Average Per Year: $14.25 Million

It will likely see a different structure than he suggest but the total value is pretty on point. I've thought all along that 15 mill-ish per year was where it should land and I could see it going there but the size difference is negligible. Guaranteed might bump a little higher - say to an even 40.

I think it seems that the team really want to do a very long term deal. Dez is 31 at the end of a 5 year deal - he might have an opportunity there for another big contract, so I can see why he'd want shorter.

 

[LittleD]

How about no. Get a long term deal and then move on.

We have a boatload of other players coming up for contracts in the next few years including 4 of those
prized lineman. Can't afford to keep everyone happy so just franchise him for two years and draft
another stud in next years draft. Keep churning, baby!!!

 

[AbeBeta]

Franchise Dez for two years and move on...

This organization talks about wanting players to be Cowboys for life. When Jerry talks about that - it is often regarding players that the organization has helped work past personal problems. Guys we supported through hard times. I really think Jerry sees himself as a father figure to those types of players. He even reaches out to help former players who are having issues (see Marion Barber). He builds a tremendous trust with these guys because of these relationships.

He's not going to take an elite player whom he's personally invested in and show franchise him twice then kick him to the curb. That just isn't how he operates with these guys.

 

[AbeBeta]

We have a boatload of other players coming up for contracts in the next few years including 4 of those
prized lineman. Can't afford to keep everyone happy so just franchise him for two years and draft
another stud in next years draft. Keep churning, baby!!!

I don't think you understand very well who teams should churn. You churn your #2 WR when he wants a new deal. You churn your backup TEs. You churn your 3rd CB. Maybe even that RB you think might be running out of gas. Those are the guys you You don't churn multi-year all pro players Those guys are nearly impossible to replace. You might be lucky to find a consistently elite WR like Dez once a year in the draft - there are 32 teams in this league and everyone wants that guy. You don't just magically replace that.

 

[Rogah]

I agree with this guys take on what a fair contract should be

Suggested contract
Signing Bonus: $7.5 Million ($3.75 Million with 15 days of execution; $3.75 Million payable in 17 equal installments over the regular season)
Guaranteed Money: $36.75 Million
Fully Guaranteed At Signing: $30 Million
Deal Total: $71.25 Million
Contract Length: 5 Years
Average Per Year: $14.25 Million

He'll never in a million years take a signing bonus that low. If we use the above as a starting point, the best bet would be to take the fully guaranteed dollars and roll that entire amount into the signing bonus. Then make his actual salary for the first couple years extremely low.

 

[The Quest for Six]

This organization talks about wanting players to be Cowboys for life. When Jerry talks about that - it is often regarding players that the organization has helped work past personal problems. Guys we supported through hard times. I really think Jerry sees himself as a father figure to those types of players. He even reaches out to help former players who are having issues (see Marion Barber). He builds a tremendous trust with these guys because of these relationships.

He's not going to take an elite player whom he's personally invested in and show franchise him twice then kick him to the curb. That just isn't how he operates with these guys.

and hence why" Jerry's way" hasn't worked for the last twenty years doing it his way, you don't get close to players, that's his problem, giving contracts extensions or overpaying players, (ex Ratliff) when he had two and a half years left on his contract that results in dead money against the cap that keeps you from signing other players.....NO player including Dez is worth 14-17 million a season IMO, he's just not worth it for the return you get in games, you could get three good players for that price you're paying for one...playoff games where he caught 3 and 4 passes in two playoff games and is basically a decoy...I'd rather put that money into the trenches, offensive linemen and defensive linemen where games are won.. If so called ELITE receivers were the end all be all to getting to the Superbowl, they would be leading their teams there every year, but they aren't....It was smart not to give Murray another Barber type extension, good teams don't over pay for position players, they budget the position and stay within that budget...

 

[LittleD]

I don't think you understand very well who teams should churn. You churn your #2 WR when he wants a new deal. You churn your backup TEs. You churn your 3rd CB. Maybe even that RB you think might be running out of gas. Those are the guys you You don't churn multi-year all pro players Those guys are nearly impossible to replace. You might be lucky to find a consistently elite WR like Dez once a year in the draft - there are 32 teams in this league and everyone wants that guy. You don't just magically replace that.

You offer a fair observation and I would like to sign Dez to a team friendly deal just like everybody.
When you can't seem to find common ground you rent him for 2 years which about as long as Romo has.
You then have to get a new QB so you might as well get a new WR. There will be someone available.
Besides, Romo had a pretty good year with a certain Laurant Robinson for one year didn't he. Maybe
the QB makes a stud WR, hey?

 

[jday]

I agree and I don't even think CJ money is even in discussion for the Cowboys. I like this write up because it did not try to make 1 side or the other the bad guy. If Dez was CJ money it is not going to happen on the other end Dallas has to be willing to put up an offer that puts Dez within the top 3 WR money.

There is no question Dez belongs in that conversation. The real question, in my mind, is rather or not the Cowboys cap can afford him, not just this years but for length of his contract and still put out a quality product on the field with the other 52 players?

 

[Doomsday101]

That clearly is a factor for the Cowboys. I like Dez a lot but those who would say give him what he wants do not seem to consider the other ramifications that go along with it. I am sure in the end Dez and the Cowboys will find a common ground they can live with which will still make Dez a very wealthy man and I'm sure we will see his contract restructured at some point to help create more cap space.

 

[AbeBeta]

You offer a fair observation and I would like to sign Dez to a team friendly deal just like everybody.
When you can't seem to find common ground you rent him for 2 years which about as long as Romo has.
You then have to get a new QB so you might as well get a new WR. There will be someone available.
Besides, Romo had a pretty good year with a certain Laurant Robinson for one year didn't he. Maybe
the QB makes a stud WR, hey?

Here's my problems with your rent Dez idea.

1. What if Romo is still going strong? You wanna take away his primary weapon?
2. What if we are looking to replace Romo? If there is a great QB who hits the open market - something that might happen if you get Brees-Rivers or Luck-Manning situations - then Dez is a huge recruitment piece. QBs want great WRs to throw to.
3. What if we are truly rebuilding? Do we want to let Dez walk or be able to use him as an asset to rebuild? After two years here, we will have eaten the risky years of the deal. Imagine a team getting a top on a deal with no dead money possible. That's an asset that far outweighs whatever compensatory pick we could get

 

[Frozen700]

Franchise Dez for two years and move on...

Yeah sure, then no big free agent or Rookie after playing good, would want to come here/stay here.

 

[LittleD]

Here's my problems with your rent Dez idea.

1. What if Romo is still going strong? You wanna take away his primary weapon?
2. What if we are looking to replace Romo? If there is a great QB who hits the open market - something that might happen if you get Brees-Rivers or Luck-Manning situations - then Dez is a huge recruitment piece. QBs want great WRs to throw to.
3. What if we are truly rebuilding? Do we want to let Dez walk or be able to use him as an asset to rebuild? After two years here, we will have eaten the risky years of the deal. Imagine a team getting a top on a deal with no dead money possible. That's an asset that far outweighs whatever compensatory pick we could get

A lot of What Ifs?
I hear what you are saying and like you, I wish we could keep all our great players for life just like in the 90's but
the cap destroyed that option so you have to retool every 3 years or so. At Indy, Luck didn't come to a team
with world beating WR's and yet they were able to win and now are contenders. If Dez want's to be a Cowboy for
life there is an easy way to make that happen, just follow Tyron Smith. Now if he's looking to get every dollar
left on the cap table, you just have to make a business decision and move on.

 

[AbeBeta]

A lot of What Ifs?
I hear what you are saying and like you, I wish we could keep all our great players for life just like in the 90's but
the cap destroyed that option so you have to retool every 3 years or so. At Indy, Luck didn't come to a team
with world beating WR's and yet they were able to win and now are contenders. If Dez want's to be a Cowboy for
life there is an easy way to make that happen, just follow Tyron Smith. Now if he's looking to get every dollar
left on the cap table, you just have to make a business decision and move on.

A lot of what ifs?

Your entire premise is based on a gigantic what if - specifically, what if Romo only has two years left?

Yet when I point out the what ifs, all of a sudden that's something that is a flaw in my argument?

The truth is that no team in this league wants to plan for an eventual rebuild. You want to have all the pieces in place to not skip a beat when we need to replace Tony.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Here's my problems with your rent Dez idea.

1. What if Romo is still going strong? You wanna take away his primary weapon?
2. What if we are looking to replace Romo? If there is a great QB who hits the open market - something that might happen if you get Brees-Rivers or Luck-Manning situations - then Dez is a huge recruitment piece. QBs want great WRs to throw to.
3. What if we are truly rebuilding? Do we want to let Dez walk or be able to use him as an asset to rebuild? After two years here, we will have eaten the risky years of the deal. Imagine a team getting a top on a deal with no dead money possible. That's an asset that far outweighs whatever compensatory pick we could get

If Tony is still going strong, then that introduces another set of cap variables that really doesn't help the situation. It's likely that if Tony is still going strong, we will wont to keep the critical players on the OL plus, we will need to address his contract after 2017. His cap number starts to really escalate after that year and then you do have a cap issue.

If there is a great QB in FA, then it's going to cost a lot of money to get him. I don't see this helping the cap situation.

Number three is a good point but if you trade him prior to that, you can still get value for him so I think it's something you have to decide you are going to do now and not later.

 

[LittleD]

A lot of what ifs?

Your entire premise is based on a gigantic what if - specifically, what if Romo only has two years left?

Yet when I point out the what ifs, all of a sudden that's something that is a flaw in my argument?

The truth is that no team in this league wants to plan for an eventual rebuild. You want to have all the pieces in place to not skip a beat when we need to replace Tony.

I wasn't trying to pick a fight. As I was thinking through your arguments, I just came to the conclusion that no one or
no team can predict that well into the future. Even Garrett preaches that each new year is a new team and that team
has to find it's own identity. Do you try and plan, sure, but things tend to spin out of control with injuries, holdouts,
ending contracts, new draftees, new coaches, etc. Will Tony be going strong...I hope so but it only takes one miss
by a RB to put Tony in traction and maybe on the retirement bench. One hit and fall took Michael Irvin out of the game
for good. Would I like for your scenarios to all work out...absolutely! Will they?

 

[Nightman]

For example's sake he could get a 20m signing bonus and a 2m salary in 2015 and a 4m salary in 2016 all guaranteed.

He then would have a 15m option bonus due on March 1st 2017. Dallas would almost 99% pick this up unless he did something really dumb. If they don't he is an UFA at 28 years old.

He then would make base salaries of 5m in 2017 and 6m in 2018. That would be 52m that was all but guaranteed by March 2017. No one would cut him in 2017 or 2018 after paying a option bonus that large.

2019-2021 would average 14m a year. With no guaranteed money but 13m in dead money it would probably be renegotiated.

That would be a 7/94m with 26m guaranteed and another 15m guaranteed by March 2017.