Spencer - New contract or not?

[xwalker]

With Romo's new contract, the Cowboys have about 5M available cap space now and can free up more after June 1st (Cut of Spears and possibly Free and Livings).

If they cut Free after June 1st they get 7M more under the cap. They get about 1.6M after June 1st due to Spears being a "designated" June 1st cut.

The cost of draft picks is offset by the fact that they replace players already counting against the cap. The max required cap space for the draft picks will be 3M.

That leaves 5M + 7M + 1.6M - 3M = 10.6M available after signing the draft picks.

Summary: Should the Cowboys sign Spencer to a contract if they don't need the cap space that it would free up in 2013?

They could keep Spencer on the Franchise tag this year. There is no reason that they couldn't sign him to a contract next year, if desired.

 

[TheSport78]

I absolutely would not.

Let another team sign a 30 year old player to a multi-year deal. Sometimes you just have to let players go.

I just have a bad feeling that Spencer would be thrown in with Hamlin, Barber, Newman, Flozell and Gurode.

Cut ties with him next year.

 

[Nation]

I wouldn't do it. If the market goes the way it looks like it is going, the guaranteed money we'd have to spend to get a deal done would be more today than it would be to tag him this year and sign him next.

 

[TheRomoSexual]

I'd be fine with a contract similar to what Dumervil received.

 

[Tobal]

would you trade him for a 2nd round pick?

 

[Red Dragon]

would you trade him for a 2nd round pick?

I'd trade him for a 3rd round pick.


I just do not think he has shown himself to be worth another Cowboys contract. When you draft a pass rusher in the first round, I think he needs to have double-digit sacks in at least half or more of his seasons. He didn't have that for the Cowboys.

 

[Nation]

I'd trade him for a 3rd round pick.


I just do not think he has shown himself to be worth another Cowboys contract. When you draft a pass rusher in the first round, I think he needs to have double-digit sacks in at least half or more of his seasons. He didn't have that for the Cowboys.

No player is going to have double digit sacks in half of their seasons when DeMarcus Ware is on the other side. Only ten teams have had two players with 10+ sacks in the same season in the past six seasons.

 

[Red Dragon]

No player is going to have double digit sacks in half of their seasons when DeMarcus Ware is on the other side. Only ten teams have had two players with 10+ sacks in the same season in the past six seasons.

I would actually argue that Ware's presence is precisely what should have allowed all the other Cowboys' pass rushers to get more sacks. When the opposing offense has to place that much emphasis on blocking Ware, it should open up opportunities for the other pass rushers.

 

[Nation]

I would actually argue that Ware's presence is precisely what should have allowed all the other Cowboys' pass rushers to get more sacks. When the opposing offense has to place that much emphasis on blocking Ware, it should open up opportunities for the other pass rushers.

It makes sense logically, but historically that is incorrect

 

[ChooChoo73]

I would trade him for a 4th if it wipes away his cap franchise #. Crawford is probably as good in a 4-3. Spencer is an unknown and an unknown is not worth of a 10.6 million dollar salary

 

[Red Dragon]

Spencer has played 6 seasons in Dallas. If he were to prove anything he would have proven it already.

 

[Nightman]

I'd sign him now. You get the instant salary cap relief this year and you also pay off 1/5 of his signing bonus. Something like 5/40m, guar 22m. Essentially it's a 3/27m deal. He might do a little better on the open market, but it slowed for DEs this year.

15m signing bonus

13 3m salary+ 3m sb= 6m cap hit
14 4m+ 3m = 7m cap hit
15 5m+ 3m = 8m cap hit
16 6m+ 3m = 9m cap hit
17 7m+ 3m =10m cap hit

 

[Nightman]

Spencer has played 6 seasons in Dallas. If he were to prove anything he would have proven it already.

He's proven to be a run stuffer, capable of getting double digit sacks.

 

[dstew60105]

I would trade him for a 4th if it wipes away his cap franchise #. Crawford is probably as good in a 4-3. Spencer is an unknown and an unknown is not worth of a 10.6 million dollar salary

Spencer is unknown? You do realize he was a 4-3 DE in college, right? It might be a better position for him.

 

[Idgit]

They should try to leverage the fact that the cap is going to be relatively stagnant this year and next to get a more favorable deal for the team than they otherwise would in this situation. If he'd prefer the security and they can give him some downside protection against getting cut in two years, he'll take the deal. Otherwise, he's shopping for a long term deal again over 30 in a market where cap dollars are still restricted next offseason. The team can afford now to try him for a year at DE and see how he really does, or draft his replacement/walk Crawford up to speed while he plays under the tender.

Or, he can lock it in now and take less than he was expecting to heading into FA.

Personally, it all depends on what he'd be willing to consider. A three year deal with a club option with some cap-penalty inducement on a fourth year in the neighborhood of $7-8M/season might be the best long-term offer he'd get in this market. If we can get it done on decent terms, I'd rather have the extra space to start working on extending Dez and Lee sooner rather than later. If not, we might still be able to get those other extensions framed out with the room we'll have after Free's restructured or released. Either way, I'm cool with it as long as we don't sign an aggressive multiyear contract with Spencer that's more than the market would dictate right now.

 

[Tobal]

I'd take a 2nd if it was in the top half, but that's only if he's playing hardball in negotiations. I like Spencer more than many of you, but he is 30 and he's not elite. I'd be open to trade him for the right deal.

 

[Bowdown27]

I wouldn't sign him long term. This draft focus on safety and oline. If spencer doesn't do well this coming season then let him go and draft dline early

 

[conner01]

I would trade him for a 4th if it wipes away his cap franchise #. Crawford is probably as good in a 4-3. Spencer is an unknown and an unknown is not worth of a 10.6 million dollar salary

would'nt that mean ware is an unknown too. so do we trade him also
please indicate any proff that crawford can be just as good. i must have miised that last eyar when he was playing

 

[TheCount]

Why not, gotta keep the band together.

 

[gmoney112]

Nope. I'm letting him play out his tag this year and letting him walk after the season.

I'm taking the rollover cap figures from this year, whatever they are when it's all said and done, as well as the money from letting Spencer walk and I'm pursuing Geno Atkins/Michael Johnson in free agency. If they aren't signed to deals before the end of the season they'll both be free agents and only one can get tagged.