So what to do with Barber?

[Eskimo]

Didn't Barber have a burst last week?

No, there were just crazy big holes being opened up by the Cowboys OL. Any RB in this league would have done the same, most would have gotten more.

 

[Eskimo]

Ya'll are crazy!! Barber is the heart and soul of the offense!! He brings attitude and toughness to this team.. You cannot put a price on his value.. However Jerry did over pay him.. So you keep him on this team and eat the contract until u draft a better player...

Barber was the heart and sole. Now it is Austin.

We are not a "tough team" anymore. We are a balanced offense that uses all weapons to keep the defense off-balance. We have an RB who is at his best on the perimeter playing in space. We should be running lots of "power" play that we run now, lots of tosses and draws and we should try learning how to run a stretch play for Felix.

Right now he is still a "big name" in this league and might fetch a second day draft pick. More likely due to that gargantuan of an ill-advised contract he will have to be cut.

If no intriguing picks are available in the draft nor good backups available in FA, I'd bring Barber back at a substantially reduced salary with an understanding that he is the #3 RB on the depth chart.

 

[newlander]

jeeebus Eskimo, you are brutal. Sadly, you are also correct. Couldn't agree more actually: sorry MB3.....it's a bidness.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I honestly would take the highest trade offer for him in the off season, if we could get a 3rd and 7th round it is worth it to clear off his contract plus get a few picks.

Bingo!

That's the one.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Barber still has a place on this team, I think.

Not at his pay scale.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Ya'll are crazy!! Barber is the heart and soul of the offense!! He brings attitude and toughness to this team.. You cannot put a price on his value.. However Jerry did over pay him.. So you keep him on this team and eat the contract until u draft a better player...

True.

I saw what attitude and toughness he brought the team last night while sitting out.

Until they draft a better player?

News alert to you Vinnie...

They did.

His name is Felix Jones.

Check him out some time. I think you'll agree.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

What do we do with this guy? Obviously Jones is the guy now and choice is a better backup. I know he's slow but he can't even break tackles anymore, what do you guys think we're going to do with him in minny?

Irrelevency... we should keep all 3 backs. It's a nice problem to have, and it's part of the problem of why we are where we are right now.

 

[KJJ]

Barber is still gona be our Short yardage guy perid.. dude is a beast in short yardage.. don't give up on the Barbarian now fellas

He hasn't been a beast in short yardage lately.

 

[KJJ]

Barbers punishing running style is starting to show it's affects. He's had trouble staying healthy ever since he became the starter last season. He's had trouble shaking injuries. He goes down much easier than he use to and clearly isn't the same player we saw in 07. I'll be surprised if he's still in the league by the time he hits 30.

 

[Thomas82]

Barbers punishing running style is starting to show it's affects. He's had trouble staying healthy ever since he became the starter last season. He's had trouble shaking injuries. He goes down much easier than he use to and clearly isn't the same player we saw in 07. I'll be surprised if he's still in the league by the time he hits 30.

I'll cosign for you on this....I don't like the road he's headed down either.

 

[This is Our Year]

Strictly looking at Sunday I don't think MB3 is going to have a good game. Even if he was healthy this isn't the type of oppenent that he thrives against. With the 2 Williams boys clogging the middle Barber is really going to have a rough game. For this week it's almost some what of a blessing he is nicked up. This is the type of D that Jones should have better sucess with at the edges.

 

[cowboys2233]

Barber is still gona be our Short yardage guy perid.. dude is a beast in short yardage.. don't give up on the Barbarian now fellas

Yeah, amazing how quickly someone can become yesterday's news. How quickly some forget. The reason he looks slow is because he's been dinged up nearly the entire season. Do NOT forget his amazing ability to move laterally -- everyone talks about how hard he runs, but there aren't many who can bounce to the outside like he can...when healthy.

 

[jay cee]

I'm amazed at some of the posters. The guy got off to terrrific start of the season. Before his injury he was rolling strong, go look at his numbers in the 1st 2 games.

He struggled after the serious leg injury, but he still finished the season with the 2nd most yards and attempts of his career, and 3rd highest average of his career.

IMO, Barber is still a very good player.

 

[tko112204]

I truly believe next year, with another year of strength and conditioning work for Jones, that MBIII can go back to a true "closer" role. Also, Choice should be ever more adept at recognizing and picking up blitzes so that he can assume the 3rd down role. Jones and Choice with Barber back to his 07 role will yield the type of results Barber had early this year, but throughout the entire season. That's the only way to use all 3 effectively, IMO. I know Barber makes a lot of cheese for such a limited role, but what else are we gonna do? Cut him and eat his salary? That makes little sense to me. We need 3 for a whole season, why not keep the 3 we have?

 

[Verdict]

MBIII is a decent back, but he's not a home run hitter, even when healthy. Parcells can be stubborn and a bit of a jerk, but I think he had MBIII's role right. He needs to be the closer, coming in to play in the second half. When he comes in fresh, and the other players are starting to lose half a step it makes his effective playing speed a little bit faster compared to the other backs. He is an OK every down back, but a much better closer.

I still think we way overpaid for him, even if he were healthy. In his prime, he was one of the best short yardage goalline backs in the business, but he hasn't shown that lately, probably in part due to his injuries.

Lets also call a spade a spade. MBIII's punishing running style takes a huge toll on his body, and he isn't Superman, contrary to those who want to make him out to be. The backs that have a lot of longevity in the league tend to not take a lot of direct hits, AS A GENERAL RULE.

Cam MBIII be a valuable asset to the Cowboys? Probably. But it won't last forever, and Jerry should have learned when he was trying to keep the triplets together, you can't pay them all or you will end up in cap hell.

If we trade away MBIII this offseason, we might well "rue the day" but I really think that is one area where we could save some long term cap space and yet possibly improve the position at the same time. Barber is NOT ever going to be as healthy as he used to be. Just too much wear and tear on his body.

 

[Eskimo]

I truly believe next year, with another year of strength and conditioning work for Jones, that MBIII can go back to a true "closer" role. Also, Choice should be ever more adept at recognizing and picking up blitzes so that he can assume the 3rd down role. Jones and Choice with Barber back to his 07 role will yield the type of results Barber had early this year, but throughout the entire season. That's the only way to use all 3 effectively, IMO. I know Barber makes a lot of cheese for such a limited role, but what else are we gonna do? Cut him and eat his salary? That makes little sense to me. We need 3 for a whole season, why not keep the 3 we have?

If we cut Barber before the start of next season, he will not be paid his salary so there is a savings to the team and Jones. The portion of the contract that is eaten is the signing bonus which can never be retrieved - it is a sunk cost now.

I don't know what Barber's actual salary is for next year. The cap number right now would be irrelevant because there is no cap.

 

[gaylemike]

Exactly.....I'll add this, remember the Houston Oilers Earl Campbell, a punishing runner that didn't think nothing about running over anyone that got in his way. There generally wasn't any ONE player gonna bring him down but the toll on his body cut his NFL career shorter than a lot of backs that don't take the same punishment. There's not a lot of things you can do, running backs learn that from an early age and take it with them not knowing that it will cut their playing days short. It's probably what will happen to MBIII in due time.

 

[Blackspider214]

Barber is still gona be our Short yardage guy perid.. dude is a beast in short yardage..

Yeah those 7 straight down and 1 yardage he did not pick up helps prove this point.

 

[Fletch]

Why was Barber on the sidelines for majority of the game? He got like 3 or 4 carries and that was it. Was it our scheme that kept him on the sidelines or another tweak to his quad?

 

[Eskimo]

Why was Barber on the sidelines for majority of the game? He got like 3 or 4 carries and that was it. Was it our scheme that kept him on the sidelines or another tweak to his quad?

Allegedly knee bursitis. Unsure if he will play against the Vikings.