NewsBot
New Member
- Messages
- 111,281
- Reaction score
- 2,947
SAN ANTONIO – Stuck in an 8-8 rut the last three seasons, the Dallas Cowboys have decided to do at least one thing differently: Stop paying players past the age of 30 big bucks.
That’s a major reason why DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and Miles Austin will no longer wear the star.
“If we don’t learn from what has bitten us, then shame on us,’’ Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando, Fla. “Unfortunately, we have been paying guys who are over 30 years old a lot of money up front and it hasn’t worked for us.”
Dallas cut Ware, who will be 32 next season, this month rather than continue its questionable practice of restructuring his contract. After the franchise career sacks leader refused to take a pay cut, the Cowboys cut ties with him rather than restructure his deal.
Hatcher led the team in sacks last season with a career-best 11, but he also will be 32 next season. Rather than give him an extension, Dallas let him test the opener market.
Austin, who will be 30 next season, has been designated as a post-June 1 cut. Like Ware, he’s struggled with nagging injuries for the past two seasons.
“I’m not saying that Hatcher (now with the Washington Commanders) won’t work out. I’m not saying Ware (now with the Denver Broncos) won’t work out. But it hasn’t worked out for us, so we have to do something different.”
The Cowboys’ fiscally responsible plan, though, won’t be ironclad, Jones said.
“I’m not saying we will never do that,” Jones said of paying aging stars significant money. “There are always exceptions. But when you are coming off of what we have come off of, obviously we have been bit.
“It’s a young man’s game and there is a lot more risk when you’re signing guys past the 30 mark.”
Continue reading...
That’s a major reason why DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and Miles Austin will no longer wear the star.
“If we don’t learn from what has bitten us, then shame on us,’’ Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters at the NFL owners meetings in Orlando, Fla. “Unfortunately, we have been paying guys who are over 30 years old a lot of money up front and it hasn’t worked for us.”
Dallas cut Ware, who will be 32 next season, this month rather than continue its questionable practice of restructuring his contract. After the franchise career sacks leader refused to take a pay cut, the Cowboys cut ties with him rather than restructure his deal.
Hatcher led the team in sacks last season with a career-best 11, but he also will be 32 next season. Rather than give him an extension, Dallas let him test the opener market.
Austin, who will be 30 next season, has been designated as a post-June 1 cut. Like Ware, he’s struggled with nagging injuries for the past two seasons.
“I’m not saying that Hatcher (now with the Washington Commanders) won’t work out. I’m not saying Ware (now with the Denver Broncos) won’t work out. But it hasn’t worked out for us, so we have to do something different.”
The Cowboys’ fiscally responsible plan, though, won’t be ironclad, Jones said.
“I’m not saying we will never do that,” Jones said of paying aging stars significant money. “There are always exceptions. But when you are coming off of what we have come off of, obviously we have been bit.
“It’s a young man’s game and there is a lot more risk when you’re signing guys past the 30 mark.”
Continue reading...