DMN: Sabin: How Tony Romo's contract is getting in way of QB's desire to win now

[daveferr33]

This article is misguided. It is not Romo's fault that the Cowboys mismanaged the cap and are still struggling to get out of the mess created by that mismanagement.

For years, the team has used Romo's contract for salary cap relief. The contract was entered into prematurely to get cap relief:

Dallas only had $51,005 of cap room before Romo’s new deal. The contract gives the Cowboys $5 million of much needed cap relief immediately by lowering Romo’s 2013 cap number from his $16,818,835 to $11,818,835. Addressing Romo’s contract situation should have been one of the Cowboys’ first offseason moves considering the severe cap problems they’ve been facing.

A year later the contract was restructured, which converted $12.5 million of Romo's $13.5 million base salary into a signing bonus, dropping his cap figure from $21.773 million to $11.773 million.

The cowboys are still looking at 18 million in dead money even without a restructure.

After years of chuckling over the concept of salary cap room, Stephen seems to have figured out that contract restructures should be used as a last, not first, resort.

 

[SDCowboy]

Wait, why did we let Murray go if it wasn't the cap? Because if there was no cap, he would be a Cowboy still. Period.

Well of course if there was NO cap, sure. But it was about not overpaying a running back.

 

[skinsscalper]

Yet they were still able to take the 9m cap hit for trading Graham, took back Max Unger at 4.5m per, got a #1 pick in the process, re-signed Ingram for 16m, signed Spiller for 18m, signed Brandon Browner for 15m and got a 3rd for Kenny Stills.

Better than a couple FBs and back-up LBs

And they'll be holding another fire sale next season to get under the cap again. They created the room to make those signings by restructuring some of the biggest contracts on their roster, bk (Jarius Byrd being the riskiest due to his injury situation). There was talk of Brees actually being on the trading block and I would almost bet that this is his final year in New Orleans. They let go of the ONLY legitimate offensive weapon they have (sans Brees) in a desperate attempt to get under the cap. They were willing to put their franchise QB on the trading block essentially blowing up the franchise and this is the exampe that you're going to point at and say "See, this is how it's done". Seriously? Get the **** out of here with that, bro. For real.

 

[skinsscalper]

My bad 17 million, is that better?

Yeah that pesky 10 million dollar difference doesn't matter much. But by all means going forward use faulty information to fuel your drivel.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Murray wasn't an average back. And many, including myself, did not want him back and said as much long before Murray signed in Philly.

I'm happy Murray got paid.

I'm happy the Cowboys didn't pay him.

And if McFadden and whatever rookie we draft struggle to run the ball and we are sitting home come playoff time because of it.........will you still be happy?

 

[skinsscalper]

And if McFadden and whatever rookie we draft struggle to run the ball and we are sitting home come playoff time because of it.........will you still be happy?

And if we're not, will you?

 

[SDCowboy]

And if McFadden and whatever rookie we draft struggle to run the ball and we are sitting home come playoff time because of it.........will you still be happy?

Question, what would you define as a successful season from our backs?

 

[DC Cowboy]

well Stephen jones does not agree with pushing money back into the future and wants to try and win with what available cap money he has now.

This will work as long as they continue to draft well.

 

[DFWJC]

My bad 17 million, is that better?

10 million better!
Thanks

 

[jobberone]

lol, I love the poorly disguised Romo hate threads. If Romo ever wins a Super Bowl, I expect a long line of people like you saying, "Ya, but..."

You obviously have zero idea how I feel about Romo based on this statement.

 

[ufcrules1]

When you are as close as we are to winning a super bowl, you do what it takes to get there. There are only 2 other teams as good as us in the whole NFC and that is the Packers and the Seahawks. Last yeara game against the Packers proved we were just as good as them. We beat the Seahawks earlier in the year and they barely made it past the Packers to make the super bowl.

As of right now our defense is weaker than it was last year and same with our offense. There is still time left to grab some play makers to improve our team and make us as good or better than GB and Seattle. The time is right now, not 5 years from now.

 

[burmafrd]

When you are as close as we are to winning a super bowl, you do what it takes to get there. There are only 2 other teams as good as us in the whole NFC and that is the Packers and the Seahawks. Last yeara game against the Packers proved we were just as good as them. We beat the Seahawks earlier in the year and they barely made it past the Packers to make the super bowl.

As of right now our defense is weaker than it was last year and same with our offense. There is still time left to grab some play makers to improve our team and make us as good or better than GB and Seattle. The time is right now, not 5 years from now.

this is as close as ufcrules can ever come to complimenting romo.

 

[ternewt24]

Not this crap again. Hey Tony, please take less money so other players can make top money instead...

And why do people still think the cap is why we let Murray go?

What this guy said

 

[AdamJT13]

What I find interesting is the compare and contrast of Stephen Jone's comments about it not being ideal restructuring players and pushing money into the future vs a lot of the analysis / comments here on CZ by posters I respect quite a bit re: the NFL salary cap doesn't mean anything, that the Cowboys can sign anybody they want anytime they want, and that pushing money into future year by heavily utilizing restructures is the RIGHT WAY to handle the NFL salary cap -- ie 0% loans, etc, etc.

What Stephen Jones is saying is basically that he doesn't trust himself (or rather, doesn't trust whoever ultimately spends the team's money) to spend money wisely -- as if creating more cap room would cause him to spend it, and especially to spend it unwisely. If you ask me, that's stupid. Even if you don't plan on spending ANY of the cap room you create, there is no reason NOT to maximize the cap room you have. Just carry the cap room forward if you don't need it. But at least you have it if you need it.

 

[Frozen700]

Not this crap again. Hey Tony, please take less money so other players can make top money instead...

And why do people still think the cap is why we let Murray go?

Because Jerry pretty much said so.

If it wasn't for the cap, he would have his money.

 

[Nightman]

And they'll be holding another fire sale next season to get under the cap again. They created the room to make those signings by restructuring some of the biggest contracts on their roster, bk (Jarius Byrd being the riskiest due to his injury situation). There was talk of Brees actually being on the trading block and I would almost bet that this is his final year in New Orleans. They let go of the ONLY legitimate offensive weapon they have (sans Brees) in a desperate attempt to get under the cap. They were willing to put their franchise QB on the trading block essentially blowing up the franchise and this is the exampe that you're going to point at and say "See, this is how it's done". Seriously? Get the **** out of here with that, bro. For real.

Again, I never said NO was doing it right. I was pointing out that a team in 'cap hell' was able to make a bunch of moves. And this is the end result of years of competing for the SB, after winning it all in 2009. If this is the worst case of going all in for several years, it's not that bad. Their window has closed and seeing what they could get for Brees is not unreasonable.

You say fire sale, but they ended up with a #1, a #3 and Max Unger-C. They re-signed their own RB and signed CJ Spiller. They also added Brandon Browner at CB. They weren't just making moves to get under the cap.

Losing Graham hurts, but it appears things soured after the tag fight last year. Kenny Stills never developed with Brees and I don't know much about Grubbs and Lofton except they were expensive.

If you guys want to buy the Dollar Store approach lock, stock and barrel, knock yourselves out. I don't think it's smart or will turn out to be very effective. Dallas has a cash advantage over many franchises and intentionally choosing not to use it is a mistake. GB and BAL are frugal for different reasons. They don't have the revenues that Dallas has and their ownership has to get creative to compete.They have 2 of the best FOs in the League and have the discipline and patience to play the long game.

Watch, in a couple years Dallas will bail on this strategy and all this penny pinching will have been in vain. We will wake up and Romo is gone and instead of worrying about the cap we will have a whole new set of worries.

 

[Nightman]

What Stephen Jones is saying is basically that he doesn't trust himself (or rather, doesn't trust whoever ultimately spends the team's money) to spend money wisely -- as if creating more cap room would cause him to spend it, and especially to spend it unwisely. If you ask me, that's stupid. Even if you don't plan on spending ANY of the cap room you create, there is no reason NOT to maximize the cap room you have. Just carry the cap room forward if you don't need it. But at least you have it if you need it.

Dallas is trying to judge the results of the push it forward strategy from the one period of time when the salary cap was stagnant. In 2009 the cap was 123m and it was still only at 123m in 2013. They also took the 10m cap penalty and had to suffer through the injuries to Ratliff, Austin and Spencer. We had a string of bad contracts were no one even maintained their performance level after signing the new deal except Romo and Ware. It wasn't the restructures, it was the players.

Now that the cap has gone up 20m in years and teams have to spend to the cap floor, there is inflation. Dallas can't be afraid of these new prices. Salaries usually don't go backwards. Dallas has the cash on hand to give large signing bonuses and do restructures. It is a shame they are 'afraid of themselves' like you say. They should be one of the bullies.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

romo's dead money doesnt matter after he's gone because you have a draft pick taking his spot making pennies. If the draft qb is on a 4-5 year rookie contract, then romo's dead money can be there for 4-5 years after he's gone. Instead of having a huge dip in QB salary, it just remains a constant. not a big deal.

 

[5Stars]

this is as close as ufcrules can ever come to complimenting romo.

He forgot Romo is on the team.

 

[Nightman]

romo's dead money doesnt matter after he's gone because you have a draft pick taking his spot making pennies. If the draft qb is on a 4-5 year rookie contract, then romo's dead money can be there for 4-5 years after he's gone. Instead of having a huge dip in QB salary, it just remains a constant. not a big deal.

Exactly, plus they have allocated 20m a year to his base salary. That will be gone.

His dead money can be spread over 2 years and the cap will be 15-20m higher as well.