Tanier: DeMarco Murray Deserves a Big Payday That May Never Come

[JD_KaPow]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2241045-demarco-murray-deserves-a-big-payday-that-may-never-come

Murray turned 26 in February. His workload just went through the stratosphere. Data-driven general managers (the majority these days) will be gun-shy of offering him a huge deal. Young rushers like Bell, Morris, Lacy and Bernard will soon face the same problem.

A cynic would suggest that franchises know full well that they are squeezing every last drop of juice from these running backs at rock-bottom prices, then using the player's own success as a bargaining point against him. Teams hold all the cards when negotiating with running backs, even young superstars.

...

Maybe a cash-flush team will offer Murray something new: a front-loaded two- or three-year deal with lots of guaranteed cash. Perhaps Jerry Jones will cut his roster to the quick to keep Murray and Bryant. Maybe Murray will chart a new course for Bell and Morris, players who run the risk of whittling away their value one carry at a time without ever seeing a true NFL star's payday.

Let's hope it happens before Murray suffers a high-ankle sprain or takes the 400th handoff that will set off red flags for any would-be future employers. Murray's production has been the story of the Cowboys' success, which has been the story of the 2014 season so far.

He deserves better than to have disputes, disappointment, franchise tags, low-ball offers and holdouts become the story of his future.

 

[Crown Royal]

I am worried that not paying him sends a poor message. You want players to see that if you perform, you get paid. if you keep performing, you keep getting paid. Too much focus on whether he is that good or not. He is producing as a very high level. If he can continue to do so, you reward him for it.

 

[JD_KaPow]

I am worried that not paying him sends a poor message. You want players to see that if you perform, you get paid. if you keep performing, you keep getting paid. Too much focus on whether he is that good or not. He is producing as a very high level. If he can continue to do so, you reward him for it.

"If he can continue to do so:" there's the rub. You have to decide to pay him before you know the answer to that question. And the history of RBs coming off workloads like the one he's on pace for is not promising.

 

[DuDa]

They should let him test the market to see what his true value is. Perhaps a team like the Colts or Broncos might give him his money but I doubt it.

 

[Crown Royal]

"If he can continue to do so:" there's the rub. You have to decide to pay him before you know the answer to that question. And the history of RBs coming off workloads like the one he's on pace for is not promising.

I'm of the opinion that his carry count behind the OL is not the same as a high carry count that Barber may have seen in 09 or so.

 

[LandryFan]

I am worried that not paying him sends a poor message. You want players to see that if you perform, you get paid. if you keep performing, you keep getting paid. Too much focus on whether he is that good or not. He is producing as a very high level. If he can continue to do so, you reward him for it.

I agree with the premise of what you're saying, the problem really comes down to establishing "worth". In short, RB's don't seem to be worth what they used to be. How many were drafted in RD 1 this past year? (None that I recall)

 

[JD_KaPow]

I'm of the opinion that his carry count behind the OL is not the same as a high carry count that Barber may have seen in 09 or so.

Nobody's ever had a carry count like DeMarco's had so far this year: he's on pace to set the all-time record. And nobody has ever survived a full-season carry count up in that range, with the one exception being Eric Dickerson (and even his career was basically over by age 30). You can gamble on Murray being an exception for some reason or other, but that's all it is: a gamble, and not one with the odds in your favor.

 

[Zimmy Lives]

I am worried that not paying him sends a poor message. You want players to see that if you perform, you get paid. if you keep performing, you keep getting paid. Too much focus on whether he is that good or not. He is producing as a very high level. If he can continue to do so, you reward him for it.

That is noble of you to "worry" about any message the Cowboys may send concerning Murray's contract/salary. Frankly, Murray will get paid by someone, preferably the Cowboys, but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it; the football gods will take care of him. Considering his future success is not known, however, I would be cautious signing him to any long-term, Marion Barber-esque, contract.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

I am worried that not paying him sends a poor message. You want players to see that if you perform, you get paid. if you keep performing, you keep getting paid. Too much focus on whether he is that good or not. He is producing as a very high level. If he can continue to do so, you reward him for it.

I think Jerry has done contract extensions in the past with this mindset and it's come back to bite us. I think you have to take a very cold and calculated approach to Murray's extension and whether it seems fair or not is less of a concern than whether it's good for the future prospects of your team.

 

[jrumann59]

The only thing that saves him here is the fact that he has never carried 300+ times in his career many of the backs mentioned were either first or second workhorses and usually toted the rock 300+ times. I believe RB wear and tear is cumulative. But the flip side is Murray has a history of lower extremity injuries also.

 

[Crown Royal]

Nobody's ever had a carry count like DeMarco's had so far this year: he's on pace to set the all-time record. And nobody has ever survived a full-season carry count up in that range, with the one exception being Eric Dickerson (and even his career was basically over by age 30). You can gamble on Murray being an exception for some reason or other, but that's all it is: a gamble, and not one with the odds in your favor.

Everyone one, including everyone who keep quoting me, seems very focused on the risks against the cap of resigning him and not getting the same production.

The other risk, of course, is matching his production with someone else. The line is fantastic, but that doesn't mean that Randle or a 4th round draft pick will come in and achieve 85-95% of his effectiveness. The point of football is to win the game and put good players out there, not to save the cap. You have to do both andd there are constraints, but I think for the right contract you keep high producers who are in their mid twenties.

 

[tyke1doe]

Whether fans like it or not, running backs don't carry the value they used to. And with the investment in the offensive line, Jerry Jones may think he can get another back to plug in and take up where Murray left off, assuming we don't resign him.

 

[Crown Royal]

Whether fans like it or not, running backs don't carry the value they used to. And with the investment in the offensive line, Jerry Jones may think he can get another back to plug in and take up where Murray left off, assuming we don't resign him.

I guess this is kind of my point. For how easy it seems to be to find running backs, and as good as randle looks in limited carries, he isn't exactly pushing Murray hard to take them. The fact is that Murray is the clear cut best RB on this team, and losing him is a risk to your roster. Keeping him is a risk to your ability to pay others. Jerry's job is to identify the better one to take.

 

[DogFace]

This collective bargaining agreement was extremely beneficial to the owners.
I'm not sure how they pulled off getting these rookie contracts. But it does make it very hard for the rb's to get big money.

 

[theSHOW]

Running backs are a different animal and because of the history of life span being short in the NFL, they should be allowed free agency after 2 seasons in the league . Same for all teams after 2 years test the market.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

The very thought of working him like a rented mule...then dumping him SICKENS me. And I am very OFFENDED with fans that think this is cool. When I think about the amount of resources sunk into Mo Claiborne....or Brandon Carr.....or Miles Austin...or Jay Ratliff...then contrast that with what impact that actually had on us winning.....I cannot for the life of me figure out why people think DeMarco should be low balled....hometown discount....or straight up not re-signed. The culture of this team has done a 360....and he is one of the primary reasons why this culture has changed and the arrow for this franchsie is pointing up. Give the man a market value 4 year deal...and give him a complimentary RB to lighten his load....and keep the train rolling.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

The article is bang-on in its analysis of the influences limiting Murray's earning potential. Unfortunately, its conclusion is infected by too much sentimentality. Murray "deserves" what any of us deserves when we're negotiating our salary: the going market rate. Once he gets that he can't complain about being underpaid, though he can certainly feel he is undervalued. Most employees do. Unfortunately, thinking that the market should value one's services more highly is just so much wishful thinking and no employer is ever under an obligation to make an employee's wishes come true.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Unless he suffers some injuries I think a lot of this "too many carries" ruining him for next year is way over-hyped. If he doesn't get signed here he'll get signed somewhere, and that's how players should look at it. Playing at a high level will be rewarded somehow, if not by the current team then by the next team.

 

[cowboys2233]

"If he can continue to do so:" there's the rub. You have to decide to pay him before you know the answer to that question. And the history of RBs coming off workloads like the one he's on pace for is not promising.

Um, he's 26. That may be the case for RBs who are approaching the age of 30...but he's 26. Up their four-year offer to $5 - 5.5 million/year and let's be done with this. If he doesn't accept, franchise him for the upcoming year. We've got Super Bowls to win.

 

[erod]

Never pay a player for what he's done. Pay him for what he will do.

My gut is they get him signed to something reasonable. It's good for his career, and his HEALTH, to run behind that offensive line.