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Through Pain Comes Clarity
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Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears wary of NFL draft scenarios
BY CLARENCE E. HILL, JR.
CHILL@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
IRVING -- With two first-round picks in this weekend’s NFL draft, the Cowboys are seemingly in a can’t-lose situation.
But as defensive end Marcus Spears can attest, it’s all about perspective.
The last time the Cowboys had two first-round picks was in 2005 -- taking linebacker DeMarcus Ware with 11th overall pick and Spears at 20th.
While Ware is a two-time Pro Bowler on the brink of super stardom, Spears is heading into this weekend’s draft wondering about his future.
After starting at left end the past two years, there is talk about Spears being moved out of the lineup and possibly off the team via a draft- day trade.
The Cowboys are contemplating moving Jason Hatcher into the starting lineup as well as moving nose tackle Jay Ratliff back to end, according to a source.
Any one of those moves puts Spears in the cross hairs. He has two years left on his contract that expires in 2009.
With 4.5 sacks in three years, Spears admittedly has not been as productive as even he hoped or expected. But he thinks his best football is in front him.
He has heard all the talk and rumors and although he likes it in Dallas, he says he is ready for whatever comes next.
"I have been going through everything this off-season," Spears said. "The trade talk and all the other stuff. I’m just doing my part, handling what I can handle. If I get caught up in the business part of football and have to make a change, I won’t be happy because I love it here. But at the same time I love playing the game. I am ready for whatever. Hopefully, I’m around. We will see what happens."
For the record, owner Jerry Jones said no one on the current roster will be used as draft-day trade bait.
"No. I can almost be, without equivocation, say that," Jones said. "That’s not the time to be getting value out of a player. Poor timing. Draft picks are thought too highly of and players aren’t thought of as much as they should be thought of."
BY CLARENCE E. HILL, JR.
CHILL@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
IRVING -- With two first-round picks in this weekend’s NFL draft, the Cowboys are seemingly in a can’t-lose situation.
But as defensive end Marcus Spears can attest, it’s all about perspective.
The last time the Cowboys had two first-round picks was in 2005 -- taking linebacker DeMarcus Ware with 11th overall pick and Spears at 20th.
While Ware is a two-time Pro Bowler on the brink of super stardom, Spears is heading into this weekend’s draft wondering about his future.
After starting at left end the past two years, there is talk about Spears being moved out of the lineup and possibly off the team via a draft- day trade.
The Cowboys are contemplating moving Jason Hatcher into the starting lineup as well as moving nose tackle Jay Ratliff back to end, according to a source.
Any one of those moves puts Spears in the cross hairs. He has two years left on his contract that expires in 2009.
With 4.5 sacks in three years, Spears admittedly has not been as productive as even he hoped or expected. But he thinks his best football is in front him.
He has heard all the talk and rumors and although he likes it in Dallas, he says he is ready for whatever comes next.
"I have been going through everything this off-season," Spears said. "The trade talk and all the other stuff. I’m just doing my part, handling what I can handle. If I get caught up in the business part of football and have to make a change, I won’t be happy because I love it here. But at the same time I love playing the game. I am ready for whatever. Hopefully, I’m around. We will see what happens."
For the record, owner Jerry Jones said no one on the current roster will be used as draft-day trade bait.
"No. I can almost be, without equivocation, say that," Jones said. "That’s not the time to be getting value out of a player. Poor timing. Draft picks are thought too highly of and players aren’t thought of as much as they should be thought of."
