This promises to be a longer summer than usual with optimism brimming over and pom-poms dripping from every thread around here. Such is what 12-4 brings, especially after watching it take a perverse referee interpretation to shut it down.
But some needed house cleaning hangs over Valley Ranch, and it needs to be done. Too much hope and potential to let these things linger much longer.
DEZ BRYANT: Get Dez signed, or not. Whoever is holding this up needs a frying pan to the forehead. He's not going anywhere, nor does he want to, and the Calvin Johnson contract was a stupid thing done by a stupid franchise. Both sides need to step forward and get it done, or put this to bed before training camp and call the long-term deal off. This need not hang over training camp. Sign him or franchise him, but put it to bed before camp. Do it now, or just walk away from the table until next offseason.
RUNNING BACKS: I'm convinced now that this running back situation thing is more concerning to coaches than they let on. The Ben Tate and Felix Jones tryouts weren't for just camp bodies. They're worried. Joseph Randle only runs one basic set of plays out of one formation, and I don't think the coaches have a lick of faith in him. Darren McFadden is not a feature back in their eyes either, and while I think they like Ryan Williams the most as a player, they certainly don't have hopes of him staying healthy as a lead horse. Teams that feature the run this much need a bellcow. Running back by committee is fine for pass-oriented teams, but not for what this team has become. I'm also convinced they didn't see Demarco Murray as the answer either.
Otherwise, it's Romo for 40+ passes a game again, and I know they don't want to expose him again to that punishment.
Part of me thinks Minnesota and Peterson are playing nice right now because they need to drive up his value before the Vikings will even consider a trade. They rightly can't sell a third-round pick to their fan base, so unless somebody comes forward with a meaty offer, that won't happen. Likewise, anyone of value who's younger is not going to be available for a song.
McClay and company know they have to address this, but so much of it is out of their control if they don't turn loose of high picks and good players, neither of which they want to do. I sense a little panic setting in here, and I'm not buying the happy face they're trying to put on this.
GREG HARDY: Obviously, this one's out of their control, but they want answers asap. Judge Henderson is taking his sweet time on this ruling, and I'm sure they want to get on to the federal courts to get this finalized. This lends itself to the possibility that a negotiation is going on because the NFL is going to look even more stupid when another ruling is completed overturned by the federal courts. Yes, the league wants to show a tough face on domestic violence, but they also need to show that they have an elementary grasp of the rules they have in place (and had at the time of the incident) if they want to be taken seriously as a governing body for player rules violations. They don't want every ruling going to federal court, and that's the precedent they're setting.
I think the Cowboys privately believe this is a 0-2 game suspension by rule, and they're OK to just sit back and "support the league's decision" as Hardy and the NFLPA takes this through the process. Our opinions of the matter aside, the rules were the rules at the time, and by that measure, this is actually should be just a slap on the wrist, and the NFL knows it. But with the intense focus on this issue after Ray Rice, they're trying to make something of substance stick.
The Cowboys need resolution here so they can build the roster and strategize accordingly.
BRANDON CARR: There's no doubt that Carr is overpaid, but there's also no doubt the Cowboys need him. Leverage belongs to Carr. Claiborne's health issues and the Cowboys logical desire to play Byron Jones as a free safety make Carr a vital piece to next season, and with a pass rush, he'll be a much better player. Still, that's an ugly cap hit with more looming behind it. I think he wins in the end, but they need to put it to bed in June.
