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Every time a name free agent hits the market, Cowboys writers and analysts are flooded with questions about whether or not Dallas would have interest. As free agency approaches for 2016, the names have started to cycle as teams prepare to get enough wiggle room under their salary cap. Over the past two days, Buffalo has released DE Mario Williams, Carolina has released DE Charles Johnson and Houston has released RB Arian Foster.
All three play positions of need for Dallas and because they were released, all they have to do is clear waivers for a new team to make an offer. There’s no need to wait until March 9th to sign any of them. Let’s break down what each has to offer.
Arian Foster, RB
In Foster’s seven years in the league, he’s led the NFL in rushing touchdowns twice (’10 & ’12), and rushing yardage once (’10). He has a career 4.5 yards per carry average and also averages three receptions per game, with a single season high of 66. He’s spent the majority of his career as a one-cut, ZBS back, which is exactly what Dallas wants behind their stellar offensive line.
Matthew Emmons-USATODAY Sports
The issue of course, is running back wear and tear. Foster turns 30 this August and has an extensive injury history. He played just four games last year and hasn’t suited up for more than 13 games since 2012. Worse, he averaged a paltry 2.6 yards per carry in his limited action in 2015 and might be out of gas. His games played and production have been on a decline since he hit the magical 350 carry mark in 2012.
Foster could team with Darren McFadden to create one of the oldest backfields in the league and earn Dallas gold stars with companies such as AARP.
Mario Williams, DE
Williams was chugging along fine in his “second career” in Buffalo after leaving the Houston Texans. After racking up 10.5, 13, and 14.5 sacks in his first three years as a Bill, his total plummeted to just 5 under new head coach Rex Ryan. Ryan’s creative defensive schemes shifted Williams back to OLB in a 3-4. Though he didn’t drop into coverage regularly, Ryan’s plans call for exotic blitzes that make sack artists out of the guys offenses don’t normally account for.
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Williams, 31, has 96 career sacks and likely still has something left in his tank. He’ll likely be one of the three or four most coveted edge rushers available in free agency, so his price tag may be of concern for Dallas. He would provide the veteran rush help the team may be looking for opposite blossoming star Demarcus Lawrence. The question here is was the dip in production a result of bad scheme fit or talent tail-off?
Is he still Fireball Mario? Super Mario? Or would the team be better off looking for Luigi on a Yoshi?
Charles Johnson, DE
Johnson will be 30 before the start of the new season, and had a horrible season despite Carolina’s overall success. He played just nine contests after a devastating hamstring injury landed him on IR/DR, and ended up with just a single sack on the year. The previous five years he had recorded between 8.5 and 12.5, showing a consistency Dallas could use on their defensive line.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina is likely ready to have Kony Ealy take the torch after his masterful Super Bowl performance, but with rent-a-player Jared Allen retiring, the Panthers are thin at depth at defensive end. Johnson was scheduled to make $11m in base salary and bonus in the final year of his deal, so the Panthers have decided to just eat the $4m of proration left and part ways.
Johnson’s last few years have primarily been spent at left defensive end, so him coming to Dallas would likely mean Lawrence moving back to the right side...
http://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/201...ian-foster-charles-johnson-or-mario-williams/
All three play positions of need for Dallas and because they were released, all they have to do is clear waivers for a new team to make an offer. There’s no need to wait until March 9th to sign any of them. Let’s break down what each has to offer.
Arian Foster, RB
In Foster’s seven years in the league, he’s led the NFL in rushing touchdowns twice (’10 & ’12), and rushing yardage once (’10). He has a career 4.5 yards per carry average and also averages three receptions per game, with a single season high of 66. He’s spent the majority of his career as a one-cut, ZBS back, which is exactly what Dallas wants behind their stellar offensive line.
Matthew Emmons-USATODAY Sports
The issue of course, is running back wear and tear. Foster turns 30 this August and has an extensive injury history. He played just four games last year and hasn’t suited up for more than 13 games since 2012. Worse, he averaged a paltry 2.6 yards per carry in his limited action in 2015 and might be out of gas. His games played and production have been on a decline since he hit the magical 350 carry mark in 2012.
Foster could team with Darren McFadden to create one of the oldest backfields in the league and earn Dallas gold stars with companies such as AARP.
Mario Williams, DE
Williams was chugging along fine in his “second career” in Buffalo after leaving the Houston Texans. After racking up 10.5, 13, and 14.5 sacks in his first three years as a Bill, his total plummeted to just 5 under new head coach Rex Ryan. Ryan’s creative defensive schemes shifted Williams back to OLB in a 3-4. Though he didn’t drop into coverage regularly, Ryan’s plans call for exotic blitzes that make sack artists out of the guys offenses don’t normally account for.
Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Williams, 31, has 96 career sacks and likely still has something left in his tank. He’ll likely be one of the three or four most coveted edge rushers available in free agency, so his price tag may be of concern for Dallas. He would provide the veteran rush help the team may be looking for opposite blossoming star Demarcus Lawrence. The question here is was the dip in production a result of bad scheme fit or talent tail-off?
Is he still Fireball Mario? Super Mario? Or would the team be better off looking for Luigi on a Yoshi?
Charles Johnson, DE
Johnson will be 30 before the start of the new season, and had a horrible season despite Carolina’s overall success. He played just nine contests after a devastating hamstring injury landed him on IR/DR, and ended up with just a single sack on the year. The previous five years he had recorded between 8.5 and 12.5, showing a consistency Dallas could use on their defensive line.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Carolina is likely ready to have Kony Ealy take the torch after his masterful Super Bowl performance, but with rent-a-player Jared Allen retiring, the Panthers are thin at depth at defensive end. Johnson was scheduled to make $11m in base salary and bonus in the final year of his deal, so the Panthers have decided to just eat the $4m of proration left and part ways.
Johnson’s last few years have primarily been spent at left defensive end, so him coming to Dallas would likely mean Lawrence moving back to the right side...
http://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/201...ian-foster-charles-johnson-or-mario-williams/
