It's time to cut Demarcus Ware

[Verdict]

You have to consider if you cut Ware you'll not only be losing him but Spencer as well. The Cowboys were apprehensive about signing Spencer long-term the past 2 seasons and now with him missing the entire season with an injury they certainly won't be offering him a long-term contract now. Adding Ware to the loss of Ratliff and Spencer the past year is going to leave some big holes that the Cowboys are going to have a real tough time filling. In 08 Ware had 20 sacks and that total dropped almost in half the following season with 11.0 sacks.

Ware injured his neck against the Giants in week 13 and only had 2 sacks in his final 4 games that season. His sack total was back up to 15.5 in 2010. If his sack totals are down again next season and he can't stay on the field due to his health then I'll be ready to move on from him. The Cowboys still have 3 games left and if Ware were to come up with some big sacks/plays that help the team make the playoffs many will change their tune about cutting him.

I think we lost Spencer already. All year.

 

[dmq]

Ware is one of the ingredients to next year's secret sauce. He is going no where.

Besides, Jerry is too old to want to see another rebuild. He will tweak contracts and have them go into future years from here on out.

 

[KJJ]

2 years ago he was coming off one of his best seasons in his career lol

In 2010, 2011 and 2012 Ware had 46.5 sacks which puts to rest any thought he's been down for several years. He had 11.5 sacks last season playing with one arm for part of the season. The Cowboys spent years drafting for the 3-4 and moving back to the 4-3 with a new DC has to be at least some of the reason for Ware's ineffectiveness. Let's face it he's playing on a screwed up defense that's currently the 4th worst in NFL history in yards allowed.

The team is bringing in players off the street and playing them in games a few days later. Even after missing 3 full games and being hampered by injuries Ware still has a chance to reach double digit sacks. Granted this season he's been a shell of the player he has been but there are some good reasons behind it. Missing 3 games, playing hurt and being surrounded by some players who didn't even attend training camp with the Cowboys isn't helping his situation any.

 

[KJJ]

I think we lost Spencer already. All year.

We did lose Spencer this year and he'll be gone for good after this season. The Cowboys didn't anticipate not having him or Ratliff this season. Those were holes they weren't prepared for but will have to address during the offseason.

 

[Smith22]

In 2010, 2011 and 2012 Ware had 46.5 sacks which puts to rest any thought he's been down for several years. He had 11.5 sacks last season playing with one arm for part of the season. The Cowboys spent years drafting for the 3-4 and moving back to the 4-3 with a new DC has to be at least some of the reason for Ware's ineffectiveness. Let's face it he's playing on a screwed up defense that's currently the 4th worst in NFL history in yards allowed.

The team is bringing in players off the street and playing them in games a few days later. Even after missing 3 full games and being hampered by injuries Ware still has a chance to reach double digit sacks. Granted this season he's been a shell of the player he has been but there are some good reasons behind it. Missing 3 games, playing hurt and being surrounded by some players who didn't even attend training camp with the Cowboys isn't helping his situation any.

This was my train of thought about 5-6 weeks ago, but if we decide to stick with a 4-3, I think cutting him would be the best move.

These last 2 years have been nothing but injuries and I don't see him fitting the 4-3, especially with the lack of talent around him.

 

[kramskoi]

I love him. Don't get me wrong but the past several years now have been hard to watch.

He has a neuromuscular issue that is getting worse and each season the window of efficacy is shorter and shorter. He lasted 3 games this year.

This is not to say anything about his attitude, work, ethic, or skill. He is simply not worth $13m AAV and we need to better allocate resources moving forward.

I don't think it is necessarily time to cut him but he needs MUCH more help next to him and along the entire defensive line. His sack totals have dropped precipitously since 2011. I don't care what PFF says, the guy ain't the same. Next year's draft should consist of a DT, DE and OG...in some semblance of that order. Dallas needs pressure up front ASAP!

 

[Avery]

We can only replace so many pieces next year. We can also only mire us in so much salary cap hell.

Of course, if he has three sacks against the Skins, this thread will be dead and buried and suddenly everyone will begin screaming 'HOF in Year 1' as fans are fickle with a 'what have you done lately' type of mentality. Like many others, Ware is a good player on a bad team.

 

[kramskoi]

Averaging 6 sacks for 4 or 5 years gets Anthony Spencer the Franchise Tag.

Ware has a bad year with 6 sacks after averaging like 15 sacks for the past 6 years and it's time to get cut.

I'm against cutting Ware because I've repeatedly been told that the cap doesn't matter at all. Not my money, cap doesn't matter......I see no need to even consider cutting him.

I'm leaning this way too Hoof. It might be that Dallas may need to draft 2 DT's, considering the likelihood that Hatcher is gone? Either that or FA...man, I don't know but interior line push is desperately needed right now. I think Ware can be effective but he can't carry the line anymore. I think his condition might be degenerative. He does'nt necessarily need to have 19.5 sacks in a season but if they can get 10 - 12 out of him, he's good to go. Of course the rest of the line must be much better than it has been. If they keep this defense, it would behoove them to concentrate heavily on the defensive line. Other positions will just have to be coached up until the following year. It took a while to get the bad wood off the offensive line. It should take less time for d-line because this team will go nowhere without one that is potent after the quarterback.

Demarcus Ware:

2011 -- 19.5 sacks
2012 -- 11.5 sacks
2013 -- 6.0 sacks

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I'm leaning this way too Hoof. It might be that Dallas may need to draft 2 DT's, considering the likelihood that Hatcher is gone? Either that or FA...man, I don't know but interior line push is desperately needed right now. I think Ware can be effective but he can't carry the line anymore. I think his condition might be degenerative. He does'nt necessarily need to have 19.5 sacks in a season but if they can get 10 - 12 out of him, he's good to go. Of course the rest of the line must be much better than it has been. If they keep this defense, it would behoove them to concentrate heavily on the defensive line. Other positions will just have to be coached up until the following year. It took a while to get the bad wood off the offensive line. It should take less time for d-line because this team will go nowhere without one that is potent after the quarterback.

Demarcus Ware:

2011 -- 19.5 sacks
2012 -- 11.5 sacks
2013 -- 6.0 sacks

It is time to cut D-Ware…

Some slack. Yes, he is not a premier pass rusher anymore but, if he is willing to take a pay cut and the Cowboys surround him with more talent on the d-line, he can be a solid player next year.

 

[kramskoi]

2 years ago he was coming off one of his best seasons in his career lol

Yeah...you pretty much would be a special kind of lunatic to cut a player with 19.5 sacks. The hindsight here is laughable. You simply don't know when the wheels are going to come off a player. Ware is still serviceable but he needs help. Period. I don't think it is feasible to cut him next year anyway, from what I have been reading.

 

[KJJ]

This was my train of thought about 5-6 weeks ago, but if we decide to stick with a 4-3, I think cutting him would be the best move.

These last 2 years have been nothing but injuries and I don't see him fitting the 4-3, especially with the lack of talent around him.

After what we've seen this season I'm not sure I want to stick with the 4-3 at least not Kiffin's version we've gone from bad to horrible. The Cowboys spent years drafting for the 3-4 and Ware took off in that defense. I don't see where cutting him would be the best move when he still has to be accounted for and can still produce when healthy. As I pointed out he started the season with 4 sacks in the first 3 games but the injuries are bringing him down. It's never a good move to cut a player that's going to be hard to replace. The Cowboys would have to replace Ware, Spencer and Ratliff 3 players that the team entered training camp counting on.

It's not going to be easy replacing them with solid players. Bringing in Kiffin and going with his Tampa 2 scheme has proven to be a huge mistake. It's turned the defense into a no show unit. The Cowboys don't have a Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Derrick Brooks or a Ronde Barber. You don't make any decision on Ware until you figure out what you want to do long-term with the defense. I wouldn't be making a knee jerk decision on Ware based on a season where the defense as a whole has been dreadful. The Cowboys need to find a scheme that fits their players.

 

[The Quest for Six]

I would of traded Ware two years ago

 

[KJJ]

I would of traded Ware two years ago

Why would you trade him after a 19.5 sack season?

 

[worn]

you draft either Trent Murphy, DE, 6-6 #265 Stanford or

Kony Ealy, 6-5 #272 DE, Miss

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Not tough for me. Tough for Jerry.

The man (actually Jimmy) won 3 Super Bowls by jettisoning older, less effective star players (D White, R White, Too Tall, etc.) from the previous regime, yet he hoards his own "star" and slightly good players like a 90 year old woman in a house full of cats.

The man can't let go, and we all suffer for it.

I love him. Don't get me wrong but the past several years now have been hard to watch.

He has a neuromuscular issue that is getting worse and each season the window of efficacy is shorter and shorter. He lasted 3 games this year.

This is not to say anything about his attitude, work, ethic, or skill. He is simply not worth $13m AAV and we need to better allocate resources moving forward.

Rather than cut him, make pomade from lemonaid. If

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I love him. Don't get me wrong but the past several years now have been hard to watch.

He has a neuromuscular issue that is getting worse and each season the window of efficacy is shorter and shorter. He lasted 3 games this year.

This is not to say anything about his attitude, work, ethic, or skill. He is simply not worth $13m AAV and we need to better allocate resources moving forward.

The bill collector interrupted me, thus the abrupt ending of my peevious replay:

Rather than cut him, make pomade from lemonaid. If we can get any thing of value for Ware, let's do it. Anybody besides Oakland gullible enough to take him in a trade?

 

[tyke1doe]

No one is taking these players salaries on, we arent getting picks for either....that said, it may be time to unload Ware. Romo is going to be here for awhile...

We've passed the point of when they should have been unloaded.

 

[30yrheel]

I vote yes.

 

[Rack]

The bill collector interrupted me, thus the abrupt ending of my peevious replay:

Rather than cut him, make pomade from lemonaid. If we can get any thing of value for Ware, let's do it. Anybody besides Oakland gullible enough to take him in a trade?

Saints would be a nice, possibly realistic, trading partner. Familiarity with the HC and DC.

 

[Bowdown27]

We are going to have a whole different line next season. Spencer hatcher (will leave since we aren't giving him a huge contract) and ware will be cut just because he's dwindled down to not even being double teamed anymore