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Watkins | Dallas Cowboys offer Barber deal for $30 million
[SIZE=+2]Sources: Dallas Cowboys offer Barber deal for $30 million
[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Running back wants package for between $40-60 million
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
11:29 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 16, 2008
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
cwatkins@***BANNED-URL***
[/SIZE]
Marion Barber made it to the Pro Bowl last season without starting a regular-season game. Now, he's looking for a big payday.
The Cowboys have held preliminary talks with the running back's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, according to multiple sources, and are offering a financial package in the $30 million range.
Barber wants a package between $40 million and $60 million.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-08/0417barbersmall.jpg Getty Images
Marion Barber earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2007, rushing for 975 yards with 10 touchdowns.
In February, the Cowboys placed the $2.562 million tender on Barber, who is a restricted free agent. If another team wants to sign Barber, it would have to give up first- and third-round picks if the Cowboys choose not to match an offer.
Rosenhaus, who did not return a phone call seeking comment, has a good working relationship with the Cowboys, and it is unlikely that a deal won't get done.
But Rosenhaus' request that Barber receive a contract similar to some of the top running backs in the game caught the Cowboys somewhat by surprise, the sources said.
Barber's asking price is comparable to deals given to Kansas City running back Larry Johnson (five years, $43.2 million), Washington's Clinton Portis (eight years, $50.5 million) and San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson (six years, $60 million).
The Cowboys, according to the sources, believe the deal that free agent running back Michael Turner signed with Atlanta in March (six years, $34.5 million with $15 million in guarantees) is close to what Barber is worth.
Dallas is also willing to give Barber a contract close to what Baltimore gave Willis McGahee last year, a seven-year deal worth as much as $40.12 million, if the last two years of it are picked up.
Barber earned his first Pro Bowl berth while backing up Julius Jones last season. He had 204 rushes for 975 yards with 10 touchdowns.
The Cowboys made Barber the starting running back for the NFC divisional playoff game. When the season was over, the team elected not to re-sign Jones, who is now with Seattle.
Coach Wade Phillips has named Barber the starter for 2008.
Briefly: After a disastrous Pro Day last week, Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly held a second workout in Norman on Wednesday, and his agent sent results to the media via email. Kelly was timed between 4.46 and 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash, according to the email. Kelly was among the group coming to Dallas on Wednesday. ... Owner and general manager Jerry Jones was also asked if he'd consider trading one of the team's two first-round picks for a veteran receiver such as Arizona's Anquan Boldin, Cincinnati's Chad Johnson or Detroit's Roy Williams, to which he slyly responded, "Yes."
Staff writer Albert Breer contributed to this report.
CLOSER LOOK
Player School Pos. Branden Albert Virginia G Beau Bell UNLV ILB Martellus Bennett Texas A&M TE Duane Brown Virginia Tech OT Keenan Burton Kentucky WR Antoine Cason Arizona CB Jamaal Charles Texas RB Fred Davis USC TE Brandon Flowers Virginia Tech CB Will Franklin Missouri WR Charles Godfrey Iowa CB James Hardy Indiana WR Chris Johnson East Carolina RB Felix Jones Arkansas RB Malcolm Kelly Oklahoma WR Jerod Mayo Tennessee LB Leodis McKelvin Troy CB Rashard Mendenhall Illinois RB Tracy Porter Indiana CB Keith Rivers USC LB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Tenn. St. CB Jonathan Stewart Oregon RB Limas Sweed Texas WR Devin Thomas Michigan State WR
[SIZE=+2]Sources: Dallas Cowboys offer Barber deal for $30 million
[/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Running back wants package for between $40-60 million
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
11:29 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 16, 2008
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
cwatkins@***BANNED-URL***
[/SIZE]
Marion Barber made it to the Pro Bowl last season without starting a regular-season game. Now, he's looking for a big payday.
The Cowboys have held preliminary talks with the running back's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, according to multiple sources, and are offering a financial package in the $30 million range.
Barber wants a package between $40 million and $60 million.
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/04-08/0417barbersmall.jpg Getty Images
Marion Barber earned his first Pro Bowl berth in 2007, rushing for 975 yards with 10 touchdowns.
In February, the Cowboys placed the $2.562 million tender on Barber, who is a restricted free agent. If another team wants to sign Barber, it would have to give up first- and third-round picks if the Cowboys choose not to match an offer.
Rosenhaus, who did not return a phone call seeking comment, has a good working relationship with the Cowboys, and it is unlikely that a deal won't get done.
But Rosenhaus' request that Barber receive a contract similar to some of the top running backs in the game caught the Cowboys somewhat by surprise, the sources said.
Barber's asking price is comparable to deals given to Kansas City running back Larry Johnson (five years, $43.2 million), Washington's Clinton Portis (eight years, $50.5 million) and San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson (six years, $60 million).
The Cowboys, according to the sources, believe the deal that free agent running back Michael Turner signed with Atlanta in March (six years, $34.5 million with $15 million in guarantees) is close to what Barber is worth.
Dallas is also willing to give Barber a contract close to what Baltimore gave Willis McGahee last year, a seven-year deal worth as much as $40.12 million, if the last two years of it are picked up.
Barber earned his first Pro Bowl berth while backing up Julius Jones last season. He had 204 rushes for 975 yards with 10 touchdowns.
The Cowboys made Barber the starting running back for the NFC divisional playoff game. When the season was over, the team elected not to re-sign Jones, who is now with Seattle.
Coach Wade Phillips has named Barber the starter for 2008.
Briefly: After a disastrous Pro Day last week, Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly held a second workout in Norman on Wednesday, and his agent sent results to the media via email. Kelly was timed between 4.46 and 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash, according to the email. Kelly was among the group coming to Dallas on Wednesday. ... Owner and general manager Jerry Jones was also asked if he'd consider trading one of the team's two first-round picks for a veteran receiver such as Arizona's Anquan Boldin, Cincinnati's Chad Johnson or Detroit's Roy Williams, to which he slyly responded, "Yes."
Staff writer Albert Breer contributed to this report.
CLOSER LOOK
Player School Pos. Branden Albert Virginia G Beau Bell UNLV ILB Martellus Bennett Texas A&M TE Duane Brown Virginia Tech OT Keenan Burton Kentucky WR Antoine Cason Arizona CB Jamaal Charles Texas RB Fred Davis USC TE Brandon Flowers Virginia Tech CB Will Franklin Missouri WR Charles Godfrey Iowa CB James Hardy Indiana WR Chris Johnson East Carolina RB Felix Jones Arkansas RB Malcolm Kelly Oklahoma WR Jerod Mayo Tennessee LB Leodis McKelvin Troy CB Rashard Mendenhall Illinois RB Tracy Porter Indiana CB Keith Rivers USC LB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Tenn. St. CB Jonathan Stewart Oregon RB Limas Sweed Texas WR Devin Thomas Michigan State WR
