Posts tagged MarionBarber at FanHouse

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland had hoped to have all the 2008 draft picks under contract by July 1. Obviously, that didn't happen, but to be honest, it was an ambitious undertaking. Training camp is still some three weeks off, and there's plenty of time to ink second-rounders Phillip Merling and Chad Henne, and third-rounder Kendall Langford.

Yesterday, Ireland appeared on WQAM's Dolphins Tonight to discuss the state of negotiations, scouting the Arena leagues and the CFL, and the risks that go along with paying unproven players obscene amounts of money. I'm guessing owners love his plan to restructure NFL salaries, but the union might feel differently:

"You just wish you could pay them five or six thousand dollars and say, Go earn it, but it's not the same anymore," Ireland said. "But really it comes down to what we're trying to accomplish from a culture standpoint. You want guys that when you do pay them the big contract, they're going to go on and do the same thing they've done..."

Ireland's exaggerating to make a point, but the bottom line -- one that most people seem to support -- is that the rookie-wage scale is out of whack. Ireland, who worked for the Cowboys before taking the Miami job earlier this year, identified Jason Witten and Marion Barber as players teams "don't ... ever have to worry about" because:

Presumably, a big reason the Cowboys were in the market for No. 2 wideout this offseason (leading up to the draft, anyway) was because of the uncertainty surrounding Terry Glenn. As that little drama continues to play out, Dallas is content to head into 2008 with Terrell Owens and ... everybody else.

Patrick Crayton was re-signed earlier this year and he'll compete for receptions with Sam Hurd and Miles Austin. But the team's true No. 2 option isn't even a wide receiver, which makes the conversation about Chad Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin more a contrivance than anything.

Tight end Jason Witten hauled in 96 catches for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett apparently has bigger plans for him in '08.

Be prepared to see [Witten] split out wide at times this season.

He long has been the Cowboys' second-best receiver, but he is going to be asked to do more actual wide receiver things this year, which brings him back to his roots. He had arrived at Valley Ranch with a rep as a "pass-catching tight end," which Bill Parcells reminded him of almost daily. He did not mean it as a compliment. Witten, being Witten, responded by honing his blocking and becoming the best all-around tight end in the NFL. And he is.

And if he's not, he's certainly in the conversation.

Look what Al Gore hath wrought: the internets makes everybody an expert. Drew Rosenhaus, agent to the stars, apparently spends his free time posting YouTube infomercials touting his ability earn millions of dollars for his clients.

In his latest effort, Rosenhaus discusses the $45 million deal he just got for Marion Barber, waxes scoutspeak on Cowboys rookie Felix Jones, and makes quite possibly the most hyperbolic comparison in at least a week.



I like Barber and don't have any issue with his contract extension, but I'll save the Earl Campbell/Walter Payton talk until after he makes consecutive starts. I'm old-fashioned like that.

Hat tip: DMN Cowboys Blog

Yesterday the Cowboys locked up Marion Barber and Terence Newman to long-term deals. Given that the contracts total 13 years and $95 million ($38 million guaranteed), and that Newman will be 30 before the season begins and that Barber is a career backup, some people might consider the payout a little steep.

In today's Dallas Morning News, Todd Archer and Albert Breer explain why owner Jerry Jones was in such a hurry make something happen:

The Cowboys wanted to get the deals done before the end of business Tuesday because of future changes to the salary cap following the owners' decision to opt out of the labor agreement.

How long signing bonuses can be prorated and how the 30 percent yearly increase would count against the salary cap would have been factors had the deal not been reached Tuesday.

When the owners decided to opt out of the current labor agreement, that meant the earliest the NFL could experience a work stoppage would be 2011. Jones has been accused of plenty of stuff: meddling busybody and pompous blowhard are two that immediately come to mind.

But he's also one of the NFL's best businessmen. Like him or not -- and he does have his detractors -- the guy knows how to make money. And unlike, say, the Ford family, who are apparently only concerned with turning a profit, Jones also likes to win.

If you're of the opinion that the Dallas Cowboys overpaid for career backup Marion Barber, then maybe the Dallas Morning News' Albert Breer can persuade you to reconsider.

He compares Barber, who just signed a seven-year, $45 million deal ($16 guaranteed), to Willis McGahee, inked by the Ravens last offseason to a seven-year, $40.1 million deal (~$15 guaranteed). Breer writes:

Count in inflation, and I think these deals are very, very close. In the end, Barber wound up exceeding what Michael Turner's deal -- said to be a benchmark in these negotiations -- cost in Atlanta, while falling just shy of what the truly elite (LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson) have reaped. So you know, Johnson signed a six-year, $43.2 million deal with $19 million guaranteed last summer, and Tomlinson inked an eight-year, $60 million deal with $21 million guaranteed in 2004.

Is Barber worth more than Turner? Why the hell not? Neither were starters, but Barber has been more productive in limited playing time. And while there are always concerns about running backs getting injured (particularly ones who have just signed lucrative deals), drafting Felix Jones last month not only gives the Cowboys two solid backs, reduces the chances either will get injured.

Plus, with Barber in Dallas for the foreseeable future, maybe we can dispense with the "Cowboys should've taken Rashard Mendenhall over Felix Jones" talk.

The Dallas Cowboys locked up two key players to long-term contracts today.

Cornerback Terence Newman signed a six-year extension worth $50.2 million, with $22.5 million in guaranteed money. And restricted free agent running back Marion Barber signed a seven-year extension worth $45 million, with $16 million in guaranteed money.

For Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, it's a clear sign that he's in the mood to get everybody locked up and make a run at the Super Bowl with the roster he has now. Signing Newman and Barber ensures that the Cowboys will have all the key contributors to their 2007 team this year, and most of them for the next few years.

Cowboys running back Marion Barber is looking for a salary bump, and instead of signing the one-year restricted-free-agent tender for $2.6 million, he's willing to stay away from the team complex, at least during the voluntary workouts. Not exactly throwing down the gauntlet, but it's early in the process; a lot can happen between now and training camp.

In the meantime, owner Jerry Jones is unconcerned; he's confident that no matter how things work out, Barber will be the same bruising runner he's always been. Barber's teammate, Terrell Owens, knows a little something about contract disputes, and while he's apparently very happy in Dallas, according to the Dallas Morning News' Tim MacMahon, T.O. "won't be disappointed if ... Barber stays away from Valley Ranch."

You see, Barber recently hired agent Drew Rosenhaus, the same guy who so eloquently defended a shirtless Owens in his Philly-area driveway during those halcyon days with the Eagles. It all worked out, though, and that's why T.O.'s not worried about Barber:

T.O. figures Barber already made a wise move by switching to Rosenhaus last season. His advice to Barber is to follow his agent's advice. "That's what he has an agent for," T.O. said. "He wouldn't put him in a bad situation. He's going to be very smart about it."

Very smart, indeed. NEXT QUESTION!

It's practice-optional this time of year in the NFL, which is why most coaches and players don't get too caught up in who shows up and who doesn't. Voluntary workouts, in addition to serving their intended purpose, are also something of a testing ground for guys interested in holding out for more money.

Marion Barber and Kellen Winslow are two such players, still on their rookie deals looking for a sizable pay raise. Chad Johnson is an old hand at this, however.

He's made it clear since the day the 2007 season ended that he wanted out of Cincinnati, even though he's currently very well paid and has several years left on his existing contract. For him, it's not about the money (even though, you know, it's about the money).

He, along with the Bengals' No. 2 receiver, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, are no-shows at OTAs, but the real pissing match between employer and employee begins in a month:

Josh Cribbs should write the team press releases. Here's his response to a question about tight end Kellen Winslow's absence from the Browns' voluntary workouts:

"It's not a big deal," Josh Cribbs said. "If he was here, he'd be hurt... It's not a question of his character because he plays like a soldier. When he gets here, he's going to work his butt off."

That's rich. I mentioned earlier that missing OTAs is hardly a reason to declare the upcoming season doomed. And unlike the Cowboys' Marion Barber, who wants more money, Winslow is rehabbing a knee injury (and while doing so, he's also hinted at wanting more money).

Even still, players have an uncanny knack for separating the game from the business. While opinions differ on whether Winslow should at least be on the property, everybody agrees that his contract won't have an affect on his on-field performance.

Of course, Winslow didn't let the team know he wouldn't show up, and according to the Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns are interpreting the absence "as a statement about his contract." Whatever, head coach Romeo Crennel was unfazed by all of it: "There's something that happens every year with somebody," he said. "We've just got to get this team ready."

Because it's May and there's not much else going on, something as innocuous as a player missing a weight-lifting session can suddenly become a front-page scandal. Perhaps that's a little too breathless, but you get the point.

Cowboys running back Marion Barber is looking for a long-term deal, and as a result, he has yet to sign his one-year, $2.6 million restricted free agent tender offer. He's also not participating in the team's offseason workouts, which, depending on your perspective, is potentially a big deal. Owner Jerry Jones, is unconcerned, and he doesn't think it'll have any bearing on Barber's performance once the season starts. You know, because it's May:

Although Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is disappointed with running back Marion Barber electing not to work out with the team thus far this off-season, he doesn't feel it [it's an issue]. ...

"I don't see that it will have a negative impact in his playing this year," Jones said Wednesday during the Cowboys' annual golf tournament for some of its corporate partners.

I think that's right. Players are primarily working out this time of year, and whether it's in Dallas or somewhere else, I don't think it much matters, especially since Barber's familiar with the Cowboys' offense.

The team is hoping to sign both Barber and safety Ken Hamlin prior to training camp, and you have to think they feel pretty good about their chances. There was some grumblings from the Dallas-area media that the team should've taken Rashard Mendenhall over Felix Jones with the 22nd pick, but if the Cowboys consider Barber a part of the immediate future, Jones makes more sense. Now all that's left to do is to give Barber a bunch of money.