BTB/Halprin: Cowboys made offer to Kevin Burnett...

[28 Joker]

Cowboys made offer to Kevin Burnett, Joe Berger signs with Miami

by Dave Halprin (Grizz) on Feb 27, 2009 4:39 PM CST in News

45 comments
Things have been awfully quiet on the Cowboys front in free agency. Not only are the coaches not talking, but are the players under a gag order, too?

Leave it to the agents to get a little news out there in the public space.

Last weekend, the Cowboys made an offer to [Kevin] Burnett's agent, Ricky Lefft. Burnett, who excelled in the sub packages in 2008, is looking for a starting job. That could come with the Cowboys, considering the only inside linebackers signed for 2009 are Bradie James and Bobby Carpenter.​

"It was not lucrative enough to not go into free agency," Lefft said of the Cowboys' offer. "We've got five to six teams I'm pretty confident in we will talk to."​

Well, at least we took a shot. Now, you can't always believe agents so the idea of five or six teams wanting to talk about Burnett could be a smokescreen to drum up interest. But in this case I think it's real. Burnett is still young and definitely has potential if he can stay healthy and I'm sure the Cowboys would want him back if they could afford him. The question now is what kind of deal can he get out on the open market and will any team offer up a starting position.

Backup G/C Joe Berger went back to Miami where he briefly played before and reunites with the Tuna and all the other ex-Cowboys in South Beach. I've noticed a little teeth-gnashing over this in the comments but come on everybody, this is Joe Berger we're talking about. The guy couldn't even get on the field in place of defensive tackle welcome mats Cory Procter and Montrae Holland. I'm not losing one iota of sleep over this development. My only complaint is he didn't take Procter with him.

Some quick housekeeping; we tendered ERFAs Rodney Hannah ($310,000) and Alonzo Coleman ($385,000).

Add Green Bay to the possible destinations for Chris Canty. Canty could also be looking at the Giants. [Thanks to GD88 in the comments for the Giants link]

The Ray Lewis saga continues with the news that Ray is softening his stance about going back to Baltimore. To this point, the Cowboys have showed no interest. The whole story in Baltimore gets more intriguing with the news that Bart Scott is supposedly creating a bidding war between the Jets and the Ravens, even though everybody had reported that he was locked-up by the Jets. [Update] NFLN says Scott has reached a deal with the Jets (6-year/$48 million).

If the Cowboys were contemplating any safeties in free agency, they better get cracking. Free agent safeties are getting contracts and in a major surprise, the Broncos look like they might have landed the Eagles Brian Dawkins. S Vincent Fuller is going back to the Titans and S Chris Crocker re-upped with the Bengals.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2009/2/27/774745/cowboys-made-offer-to-kevi

 

[Bob Sacamano]

S Chris Crocker re-upped with the Bengals.

damn

would have made a nice SS here

 

[theebs]

that is wrong on canty.

Archer told ben n skin tonight that canty has a meeting in ny tomorrow, seattle on sunday and that the titans and 49ers are very interested but have not set up meetings yet.

green bay has not contacted him apparently.

 

[NeonNinja]

Crocker for real?

 

[big dog cowboy]

The Ray Lewis saga continues with the news that Ray is softening his stance about going back to Baltimore.

Why am I not surprised?

 

[AdamJT13]

Archer told ben n skin tonight that canty has a meeting in ny tomorrow, seattle on sunday

Canty's agent told the Seattle Times that Canty will be in Seattle on Monday.

 

[theebs]

Canty's agent told the Seattle Times that Canty will be in Seattle on Monday.

oh ok. Sorry I thought archer said sunday.

 

[AdamJT13]

oh ok. Sorry I thought archer said sunday.

I just read a report that said Canty would arrive in New York on Saturday, then meet with the Giants on Sunday.

So maybe Archer was giving Canty's travel plans, not his meeting times. Canty might be traveling to New York on Saturday, meeting with the Giants on Sunday, then traveling to Seattle on Sunday night and meeting with the Seahawks on Monday.

 

[theebs]

I just read a report that said Canty would arrive in New York on Saturday, then meet with the Giants on Sunday.

So maybe Archer was giving Canty's travel plans, not his meeting times. Canty might be traveling to New York on Saturday, meeting with the Giants on Sunday, then traveling to Seattle on Sunday night and meeting with the Seahawks on Monday.

that makes sense.

and even more confusing, nick eatman in his column said he is meeting with the titans on sunday!!

 

[Randy White]

Adam, tell me what rules would prohibit the Cowboys from offering Ware a contract similar to this:

Stephen can set up one of this crazy contracts that would give Ware a solid signing bonus, with a HUGE base salary starting in 2010, when there's no cap.

Let's say 7 years 105 million dollars contract, 35 millions signing bonus, starting in 2010.

base salary years:

2010 ( no cap ) = 20 millions ( that's 55 millions in his pocket right away )
2011 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2012 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2013 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2014 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2015 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2016 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )


Basically, it would be a front loaded contract, where he'd make half the contract in just one uncapped year. Also, since it's an uncapped year, the cap escalators and base salary/signing bonuses ratio rules don't start applying until 2011, which is when the 2nd half of his contract kicks in.

Now, keep in mind, since it's 20 millions in base salary, he wouldn't get it in one lump sum, instead devided into sixteen $1, 250,000 checks

:starspin

 

[dbair1967]

Resigning Burnett would be a good move. If he gets a chance and stays healthy he could be a good player for us for a long time.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I could have swore that I heard there was some serious restrictions to what teams could do with deals in that uncapped year and were put in place in order to avoid teams signing people to enormous deals and paying most of the money during that one uncapped year and getting off fairly easy after that.

I could have swore I read that they put things in place to make things like that impossible.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

So many teams interested in a crappy DE with not much production--as they say /sarcasim.

Canty is a gem of a Free Agent.

 

[burmafrd]

I think there are no real restrictions on resigning your own players......

 

[Beast_from_East]

Adam, tell me what rules would prohibit the Cowboys from offering Ware a contract similar to this:

Stephen can set up one of this crazy contracts that would give Ware a solid signing bonus, with a HUGE base salary starting in 2010, when there's no cap.

Let's say 7 years 105 million dollars contract, 35 millions signing bonus, starting in 2010.

base salary years:

2010 ( no cap ) = 20 millions ( that's 55 millions in his pocket right away )
2011 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2012 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2013 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2014 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2015 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )
2016 = 8.3 millions ( cap charge 13.3 mills )


Basically, it would be a front loaded contract, where he'd make half the contract in just one uncapped year. Also, since it's an uncapped year, the cap escalators and base salary/signing bonuses ratio rules don't start applying until 2011, which is when the 2nd half of his contract kicks in.

Now, keep in mind, since it's 20 millions in base salary, he wouldn't get it in one lump sum, instead devided into sixteen $1, 250,000 checks

:starspin

Correct me if I am wrong Adam, but I think this would violate the 30% rule. That basically states that compensation has to stay within 30% year to year to prevent a "massive dump" in the non-cap year.

I dont think the league would approve $20 mill in a non-capped year and then $8 mill the following year if the cap returns.

I heard somebody on TV talking about this 30% rule, but I cant remember all the specifics. Please correct any info I am wrong about here Adam.

 

[dcfanatic]

that is wrong on canty.

Archer told ben n skin tonight that canty has a meeting in ny tomorrow, seattle on sunday and that the titans and 49ers are very interested but have not set up meetings yet.

green bay has not contacted him apparently.

The Giants are going to sign Canty to play inside.

Adn that's gonna suck.

 

[dcfanatic]

I like Burnett, but I have no idea if he's ever going to be a starter.

With that in mind I would not overpay for him.

If he comes back as the Nickel LB I would be pretty happy though.

 

[dbair1967]

The Giants are going to sign Canty to play inside.

Adn that's gonna suck.

for who, him?

he's never played a 4-3 DT spot, in fact he's ever even played in a 4-3 defense...we moved him inside some in our nickel defense and he never did that much...in fact he's never been much of a pass rusher at all in college or the pros

 

[dcfanatic]

for who, him?

he's never played a 4-3 DT spot, in fact he's ever even played in a 4-3 defense...we moved him inside some in our nickel defense and he never did that much...in fact he's never been much of a pass rusher at all in college or the pros

He's basically been playing a DT spot for us as a DE in the 3-4.

He's never going to be a good pass rusher because his GOB speed is too slow.

But with the edge rushers the Giants have they force the pocket to collapse and Canty get get into the pocket sometmes with his size an strenght. He will be more effective doing that with another DL next to him inside taking up that extra blocker.

Plus he's always been decent at the POA in stuffing the run.

I am not saying he's going to be a Pro Bowler or anything like that.

But he's going to help their defense.

 

[dbair1967]

He's basically been playing a DT spot for us as a DE in the 3-4.

He's never going to be a good pass rusher because his GOB speed is too slow.

But with the edge rushers the Giants have they force the pocket to collapse and Canty get get into the pocket sometmes with his size an strenght. He will be more effective doing that with another DL next to him inside taking up that extra blocker.

Plus he's always been decent at the POA in stuffing the run.

I am not saying he's going to be a Pro Bowler or anything like that.

But he's going to help their defense.

We'll see...but anybody that signs him to the 8mil a yr he reportedly wants though is going to be sadly disappointed.