A couple of blurbs
Cowboys Expected to Sign Burnett & Barber Soon --
Tue Jul 26, 2005 --from FFMastermind.com
The Dallas Cowboys' official website reports Cowboys second-round draft pick ILB Kevin Burnett and fourth-round draft pick RB Marion Barber III are expected to be signed before Saturday's first practice.
-- Canty May be Tough to Sign --
Tue Jul 26, 2005 --from FFMastermind.com
The Dallas Cowboys' official website reports Cowboys fourth-round draft pick DE Chris Canty (Virginia) might be tough to sign. Canty is expected to miss the first week of camp rehabbing from knee and eye surgeries, though the Cowboys are targeting Aug. 8 for his return. Once projected a first-round pick, Canty's two injuries decreased his value and dropped him to late in the fourth round. While he might have first-round talent, don't expect the Cowboys to give him first-round money, which is what his agent likely will argue. Canty's group also is looking for a three-year contract, but the Cowboys would rather sign the defensive end to four years. With his current health status, there is no guarantee he will be that effective this season. A three-year deal would give the team only two more years to evaluate Canty before he becomes a restricted free agent. The Cowboys still have the option of placing Canty on Physically Unable to Perform (PUP), a designation that must be made at the start of camp if a player is not cleared to practice because of an existing injury. However, the Cowboys would have nearly a month to remove him from the list if he successfully began practicing or was anticipated to begin practicing soon. Players on PUP for the start of the season must sit out the first six weeks of the regular season before they are eligible to start practicing, and then can take another three to five weeks before having to be placed on the active roster.
Cowboys to Start Talks with First Rounders --
Tue Jul 26, 2005 --from FFMastermind.com
The Dallas Cowboys' official website reports Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said he expects to start serious talks with the agents for first round draft picks DE/OLB Demarcus Ware and DE Marcus Spears soon. Jones is expected to meet with agents Pat Dye (Ware) and Jimmy Sexton (Spears) either Tuesday or Wednesday. The biggest dilemma facing the Cowboys and the other NFL teams trying to sign first-round picks is the inability to extend contracts past five years. Because the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement expires after the 2007 season, teams are not allowed to prorate signing bonuses more than two years past the conclusion of the current CBA. So unlike recent years when teams have signed high first-rounders to six-, seven- and even eight-year deals, clubs can only spread signing bonuses over a five-year span, creating a higher yearly cap value. That means teams will have to get more creative distributing bonuses to players. Take for example Ware, who would've received a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $7 million in 2003. That could have been spread over a six- or seven-year span, making his yearly proration on a seven-year deal $1 million a year. But now, with only a five-year deal available, that same signing bonus would charge $1.4 million, which is significantly more when you are dealing with a $4.9 million rookie pool. The Cowboys likely will sign Ware to a five-year deal, with possibly even no signing bonus. Ware will then get what would have been his up-front money roster bonuses, guarantees, escalators and option incentives spread over the next two to three years. Draft picks are still getting the same amount of money, possibly even more, but not as much up front
