Is Bruce Carter making the case for a return?

[TonyRomo17]

Why are people so eager to bring back Durant? Unless he comes for really cheap.. he has never played a full season in the NFL and the past 2 seasons he has gone to IR

 

[Risen Star]

The only thing I'll miss is his punt blocking.

 

[cowboys1981]

When you make plays, you make a case.

 

[JPostSam]

We've all been up and down on Bruce Carter, but this guy has just made big plays when we needed them. I wish he could be more consistent, but given time in the same system, maybe he could be a key guy for us.

Thoughts?

i never understood the desire to get rid of him. he had a bad stretch at the end of last season, but he's an important contributor on a defense that needs him. he's not the weakest link, by far.

 

[Eskimo]

i never understood the desire to get rid of him. he had a bad stretch at the end of last season, but he's an important contributor on a defense that needs him. he's not the weakest link, by far.

The issue isn't so much whether we want him back. I think we would if we could get him for a reasonable price. The problem is we have a lot of money already sunk in Sean Lee and have to re-sign McClain to a FA deal, too. We can't afford 3 high-priced LBs and still fix the DE position.

For some reason people don't seem to believe Carter will be paid. I see him getting somewhere between $5-7M/yr over about 4-5 years in his deal. I'd happily take him back for his upside and athleticism at $4M/yr if we could get his name on the line. Although Durant outplayed him this year he is getting old and missed a lot of games the last two years. We may just have to roll that dice with Hitchens backing them up, though. If we hadn't done the Lee deal we probably bring back Carter but there is just too much dead money invested in Lee to give up on him now ($10M left and low base salary for next year).

The "trouble" is the superstar salaries. You can only afford a few at one time. Next year we'll have a minimum of 3 between Romo, Tyron and Dez and more likely a 4th for a DE in FA. Then we have next tier salaries of guys like Sean Lee, McClain, Witten, OScan to deal with. At the end of the day there just isn't going to be enough money for Murray and Carter and still fill out the roster.

 

[xwalker]

The issue isn't so much whether we want him back. I think we would if we could get him for a reasonable price. The problem is we have a lot of money already sunk in Sean Lee and have to re-sign McClain to a FA deal, too. We can't afford 3 high-priced LBs and still fix the DE position.

For some reason people don't seem to believe Carter will be paid. I see him getting somewhere between $5-7M/yr over about 4-5 years in his deal. I'd happily take him back for his upside and athleticism at $4M/yr if we could get his name on the line. Although Durant outplayed him this year he is getting old and missed a lot of games the last two years. We may just have to roll that dice with Hitchens backing them up, though. If we hadn't done the Lee deal we probably bring back Carter but there is just too much dead money invested in Lee to give up on him now ($10M left and low base salary for next year).

The "trouble" is the superstar salaries. You can only afford a few at one time. Next year we'll have a minimum of 3 between Romo, Tyron and Dez and more likely a 4th for a DE in FA. Then we have next tier salaries of guys like Sean Lee, McClain, Witten, OScan to deal with. At the end of the day there just isn't going to be enough money for Murray and Carter and still fill out the roster.

I don't see any possibility that the Cowboys pay him 4M per year.

If the Cowboys re-sign McClain, then 2 LBs (McClain and Lee) are locks to start. There is a strong possibility that Hitchens is the 3rd starting LB. He has been playing more snaps than Carter in most games the 2nd half of the season.

 

[The Quest for Six]

Carter's play has bothered me, loved his size and speed as a player when the Cowboys drafted him and when the Cowboys switched from the 3-4 to the 4-3, I thought he's be a big time player playing outside linebacker but he's so inconsistent and unless he takes a cap friendly deal, then I'd let him walk, 14 pending free agents on this club and if it came down to Carter or Durant because Dallas can't sign all of our free agents, I'd rather resign Durant

 

[lane]

The only thing I'll miss is his punt blocking.

why don't you make like a tree?

and get the hell out of here.

 

[manster4ever]

i never understood the desire to get rid of him. he had a bad stretch at the end of last season, but he's an important contributor on a defense that needs him. he's not the weakest link, by far.

I couldn't agree MORE....amen. Kid is a very good ballplayer. Had two picks today...give him some props people.

 

[MissouriCowboy]

I like Carter. He is up and down but young and will get better, I say keep him if Money is right. Lee is the dude I have concerns about with his ir status,

 

[manster4ever]

Why are people so eager to bring back Durant? Unless he comes for really cheap.. he has never played a full season in the NFL and the past 2 seasons he has gone to IR

This is true. He's a VERY good player when healthy. Great energy and vet presence. But...just too injury prone IMO. I'd love to have McClain, Lee, Durant, Hitchens and Carter back next year. Probably won't happen, but I can dream.

 

[visionary]

I think it's either him or Durant that's retained, and my money and preference is for Durant by a wide margin. Carter had a big day today, though.

Durant and it's not close

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

Bottom line for me is it's a young mans game. I dont have a ton of faith Durant can make it through a season and if the guy isnt around to help you....... I have no problem with letting them both walk and turn to the draft either.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

Carter has made some very big plays. Yes, some of them were "Gifts". But he was there in position. i would definitely look at bringing him back..!!

 

[LatinMind]

We've all been up and down on Bruce Carter, but this guy has just made big plays when we needed them. I wish he could be more consistent, but given time in the same system, maybe he could be a key guy for us.

Thoughts?

i say yes. its a matter of him over durant. Carters ability to play every lber spot. And durants struggles when he played sam. Being thats the starting spot that dallas would need to fill with lee returning if mcclain is resigned.

 

[Eskimo]

i say yes. its a matter of him over durant. Carters ability to play every lber spot. And durants struggles when he played sam. Being thats the starting spot that dallas would need to fill with lee returning if mcclain is resigned.

The issue isn't so much Durant or Carter. Durant is coming off a 2-year $2M deal when no one else in the league wanted him. He is now coming off 2 straight years where he missed a bunch of games. Durant will not cost us much to retain.

The problem is Carter made so many big plays, has much athleticism and is still young. Someone is going to pay him a huge chunk of money that we can't afford because we are already paying Lee a top 10 MLB salary and will be paying McClain something similar. We cannot afford to pay a 3rd LB that money with all the other big contracts on the team.

So the real reason Carter most likely won't be back is Sean Lee, not Justin Durant.

The only other real possibility I see would be to give up on improving the DL with a big name FA and just re-sign Carter instead. Not sure if that's a good move given Carter's inconsistency.

 

[lostar2009]

Probably not since we can keep Durant half the price then you have to resign Mccain.Also add in the fact we have Lee and Hitchens. If Carter play was consistent this whole year I would say drop Lee or Mccain and keep Carter.

 

[slick325]

Consistency is the word when it comes to #54. He is a playmaker though.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

Quick someone who leads the team in interceptions

 

[Bluefin]

We've all been up and down on Bruce Carter, but this guy has just made big plays when we needed them. I wish he could be more consistent, but given time in the same system, maybe he could be a key guy for us.

Thoughts?

The problem is SLB in this scheme is not a big money position.

The team expected Bruce Carter to be one of the stars at WLB and he was an epic failure.

The coaching staff has also questioned Carter's motor.

And he's been invisible for prolonged stretches.

I'm ecstatic for his improved play of late and the interceptions, but I don't see him in our plans next year.

Why are people so eager to bring back Durant? Unless he comes for really cheap.. he has never played a full season in the NFL and the past 2 seasons he has gone to IR

I'm open to re-signing Justin Durant if he doesn't get any starting offers on the open market.

I can see him getting another two year contract with playing time incentives in case he starts.

If there's a younger option in free agency who can do the same things and might be better on special teams, that'd be even better.

And keeping searching for depth with upside on day three of the draft and in the undrafted ranks.