Thoughts on the Final Roster

The Cowboys only kept three full time cornerbacks on the final roster. Wow! That seems like a dangerous move when you consider what would happen with just one minor injury to Terence Newman, Orlando Scandrick or Mike Jenkins. I know Alan Ball, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and Danny McCray can all fill in at cornerback but it seems like a dangerous move to count on those guys if a long term injury happens to any of the top three cornerbacks. I have a feeling the Cowboys might be scouring the roster cuts around the league for a better 4th cornerback option.

Junior Siavii didn't make the final roster either. This move isn't shocking but I didn't think the coaches had seen enough from Josh Brent or Sean Lissemore to justify cutting Siavii. I like the fact that the coaches are going younger where they can on the roster but, just like with the cornerback situation, it makes me a little nervous to think where the team will be if Ratliff goes down with a long term injury.

Sam Hurd made it through the cuts. I like the fact that the team kept him around. His play on special teams is obviously why he stayed over Patrick Crayton. I don't think Hurd is the same player at receiver that Crayton was but I do think Hurd brings a lot more to the table on special teams.

Kevin Ogletree managed to stick on the final roster as well. I was not impressed with him at all early in the preseason but the last two games probably saved him. He started playing more like the guy who made several big plays late in the season last year as the preseason drew to a close. I think the potential of Ogletree at receiver played a big part in Patrick Crayton being traded to San Diego.

The Patrick Crayton trade was a little surprising but certainly not shocking. With Crayton set to be stuck on the bench on offense and probably even losing his punt return role it didn't make a lot of sense to keep him around. Although some of Crayton's complaints were legitimate, the Cowboys didn't need a guy around who wasn't happy to be there and was vocal about it.

Seeing that Bobby Carpenter was cut by the Rams made me sad and happy at the same time. It is sad because he always seemed like a good guy who worked hard and really wanted to get better. But, at the same time, it really justified the move the Cowboys made to trade him. The Cowboys are often criticized for the trades they make but I think Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office deserve a big pat on the back for essentially stealing a valuable backup swing tackle from the Rams. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Carpenter ends up with the Dolphins to be reunited with Bill Parcells.

Players in Limbo

The uncapped year in the NFL has put a few players in unique situations as we head towards training camp. Patrick Crayton, Marcus Spears, and Sam Hurd are still unsure of their futures. The extension on the years of service required to earn free agency has allowed to Cowboys to essentially low ball Marcus Spears. Patrick Crayton is feeling the effects because the Cowboys can afford to keep him as an insurance policy even with his $2 million base salary and Dez Bryant now ahead of him on the depth chart. Sam Hurd is in a similar situation to Crayton with Dez on the roster and also had no way out of Dallas since he was limited by his restricted free agency status.

Marcus Spears probably was insulted early on when the Cowboys tendered him at a lower salary than both of his back ups at defensive end. You can't blame the guy for being a little irritated by the way things played out. But he has had a great attitude about the situation. The NFL is a business after all and you can't blame the Cowboys for taking the frugal approach when the rules allow for it. I respect Marcus Spears for going about his business like a true professional even while the money on the table is somewhat insulting. But he understood what a lot of us regular Joes understand...$1.226 million dollars for playing football is nothing to complain about. Not many people are going to join in if you throw a pity party for yourself with money like that coming to you.

The bottom line for Marcus Spears is that he is a victim of the unsettled situation between the players and owners. He is a starting quality player but he isn't so good that the Cowboys feel like they can't win without him. The result is a low salary, one year offer. Spears is a very good run defender. Pass rush from DE's in Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme is hard to judge. No DE in the Cowboys defense will put up big sack numbers as long as they stick with the current defense.

So Spears will probably end up starting if he can fend off Bowen and Hatcher in training camp. He'll be the starter and be paid less than his backups. It is obviously an unfair situation but if he plays another year at a high level he might get more money somewhere else next year. Fortunately for all of the fans of the Cowboys it looks like Spears is more concerned with winning than he is with money.

Patrick Crayton's situation is different. He entered the offseason as the #3 receiver even though he was more productive with fewer opportunities than last years #2 receiver, Roy Williams. Crayton is a solid pro. He runs excellent routes, has great chemistry with Tony Romo, and he does a good job fielding punts. He lacks the explosiveness of a top tier receiver or returner but he plays above his natural ability with good fundamentals.

Crayton finally showed up to work with the team last week and seems to have finally accepted the reality of his situation. While he has made public comments that implied he wanted out of Dallas he didn't really have any leverage to work with. The Cowboys want Crayton on the team to provide depth and experience and there is very little trade value for a 31-year-old, average at best receiver. So Crayton also appears stuck in Dallas at least until the Cowboys decide whether they want to keep him for another season. I do understand Crayton's complaints about getting his family settled if he on his way. But the millions of dollars he has made more than make up for the inconvenience of dealing with any uncertainty he might face if released.

Sam Hurd is hanging on by a thin thread. If Crayton stays that puts the number of quality receivers ahead of Hurd at 5 if you put Kevin Ogletree in that mix. But Hurd is taking the professional approach that Spears is taking. Hurd is going to work hard and try to win is roster spot. The odds are stacked against him but he is a lot younger than Crayton so he might be able to stay if he can stay healthy. Hurd is 5 years younger than Crayton and he has kept his mouth shut about his situation. Jerry Jones has shown over the last few years that he isn't going to let malcontents hang around to poison his locker room.

You have to feel a little sympathy for all three of these guys. They have all worked hard and contributed to the success of the team over the last few years. And none of them are at the point in their careers where their skills are eroding. But the NFL is a business and it is a young man's game. The labor dispute and the young talent on the roster are going to keep Spears, Crayton, and Hurd in limbo until the end of training camp.

Does There Have to Be a #1 Receiver?

The Cowboys are stacked at wide receiver. It is obvious. Miles Austin broke out last season to establish himself as a starter and potentially a star player. Roy Williams still hasn't lived up to his billing but he puts fear in the defense whether you want to admit that or not. And Dez Bryant is probably the most athletically gifted receiver of the three. Add Kevin Ogletree, Patrick Crayton and Sam Hurd into the mix and there are more receivers than the Cowboys need on the roster. I realize Patrick Crayton is staying away from OTA's, but he will be a Cowboy next year unless the Cowboys decide they don't want him anymore. He has no leverage.

The thing that a lot of people need to realize ahead of time is that the Cowboys have a great problem. None of the receivers are going to have 100 receptions. There are so many options in the passing game that they can't get the ball to everyone all the time. The defenses are going to be constantly under pressure as long as the offensive line can give Tony Romo a little time. But don't expect big numbers from any particular player in the passing game except maybe Jason Witten.

People want to label Roy Williams a bust and really he has been so far. But part of the problem with Roy is that Romo has so many options it is easy to lose favor in the offensive scheme. If Romo doesn't have confidence in you he will just move on to the next guy because there are usually multiple open receivers on any given play. And Tony's options will only increase as Dez Bryant gets integrated into the offense.

I think if you really felt the need to put a #1 label on a wide receiver it would be Miles Austin. But I would be willing to bet that #1 receiver position will rotate between Miles Austin, Roy Williams, and Dez Bryant depending on matchups and defensive schemes. And that is a good thing. It prevents the defense from focusing on shutting down any one player and stopping the offense.

A lot of people want to run Roy Williams out of Dallas. I want him here. Like I said earlier he gets the attention of the defense whether you want to admit that or not. He did score seven TD's last year even with his limited receptions so he is a target in the red zone. And I view him as a first down machine along with Jason Witten in the passing game.

In a perfect world scenario I view the wide receivers like this. Miles Austin is the all-around guy for now. He can go deep, catch crossing routes, run after the catch, and make yards on the screens. Roy is the first down guy and the red zone target. Dez is going to be a big play guy at least early in his career. Rookie receivers have a hard time adjusting to the complexity of an NFL offense but his talent will give him the ability to make big plays. Kevin Ogletree is great on the quick screens and catches everything thrown his way. He might end up moving inside to the slot depending on how things play out with Patrick Crayton.

It is entirely possible that the top wide receiver will only have 60-70 receptions. The only "go-to guy" will probably still be Jason Witten. The #1 wide receiver will be determined week by week. I think Miles Austin is the lead guy but I really don't that title will have much meaning if the offense runs like it should.

Should Crayton Stay or Go?

Patrick Crayton is not happy. And I can't say I totally blame him either. He has been producing good, but not great numbers for several years. He has done everything the team has asked of him and played above his draft status for a long time. But the NFL is a business and Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett have to do what is best for the team. That means Patrick Crayton is going to lose playing time if he stays with the Cowboys.

Crayton has been a valuable asset for a few years now but he is obviously not irreplaceable. And his age (31) is not helping his cause. He wants to be traded. But why would anyone trade for Crayton if they know he is probably going to be cut in the long run anway? I have to believe that the Cowboys would choose Sam Hurd over Patrick Crayton if push came to shove. Hurd is younger and has more long term potential. But it is possible that Crayton and Hurd will be gone.

The Cowboys are suddenly very strong at the wide receiver position. Miles Austin, Roy Williams, and Dez Bryant have the top three spots locked up. Then there is Kevin Ogletree who flashed some impressive playmaking skills last season. So that leaves probably one more spot on the roster for a wide receiver. The Cowboys are unlikely to keep six. So it will probably come down to Hurd or Crayton.

I think I would prefer to keep Sam Hurd for a few reasons. Sam Hurd generally keeps his mouth shut which is going to be important. It is unlikely that Hurd or Crayton is going to get the playing time they desire. There is too much talent at wide receiver to get either of them on the field on a regular basis. While Crayton has proven he can make plays he is starting to hit the down side of his career. A guy with marginal talent like Crayton doesn't have to lose very much of his athleticism before he becomes a non-factor. Hurd hasn't ever made plays consistently but he has improved from year to year and he has shown some flashes that he can get the job done if given the opportunity.

I'll be surprised if Crayton is back next year. I don't think he wants to be in Dallas regardless of his contract or what promises the coaches might make him about playing time. I think Hurd could be convinced that Dallas is still the place for him to be. They can't both stay. In the past you might have been able to argue that the Cowboys need Crayton for punt returns. But it appears Dez Bryant and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah both have punt return skills. And Kevin Ogletree has worked on punt returns with Joe DeCamillis as well.

If the Cowboys could get even a late round pick for Crayton I would be thrilled. But it is much more likely that he will be released sometime before training camp starts in July. I appreciate what he did for the Cowboys but the team is doing the right thing by going with the younger, more talented and cheaper options at wide receiver.

Who I'll Be Watching in the First Preseason Game

Preseason games can be dull since the games don't count, but if you know what to look for they can be pretty interesting. The first preseason game usually doesn't showcase the starters on either side of the ball for too long. With all of the young players vying for roster spots it will still be fun to watch. I am excited to see several of the young players show what they can do in a game situation. Here are the guys I'll be watching and why.

Isaiah Stanback: This story is well documented at this point. It is put up or shut up for Stanback. He needs to prove he is worth keeping around. He needs to play great and stay healthy for the rest of camp or he'll be cut and he knows it.

Kevin Ogletree: I keep hearing the reports of how good he is playing. I saw it with my own eyes at training camp, but games tend to bring out the best (or worst) in players. Let's see what he can really do when it counts...sort of.

Mike Mickens: When I saw him early in training camp he looked terrible. Over the last week he has picked up his game and is making plays. He is going to get a lot of playing time with Jenkins and Newman out. Let's see if he was a draft steal or a wasted pick.

Michael Hamlin: He is probably going to end up as a starting safety one day. I want to see if he can make the plays he has been making in practice against a real opponent.

Alan Ball: He looked great when it counted against Tampa Bay last season but he hasn't been on the field much since then. He is going to play some cornerback in this game and I am excited that he is getting a chance to prove himself again.

David Buehler: He was primarily brought in to kickoff. Let's see if he can force as many touchbacks as we are all hoping he can.

Jesse Holley: The 4th & Long series makes this guy interesting. I am pulling for him but he really needs to shine to make the team.

Jason Williams: Will he look lost playing linebacker? We know he is an athletic freak but I want to see if he is picking up the techniques he needs to get on the field this year.

Brandon Williams: Bring on the pass rush. The Cowboys need all the help they can get when it comes to depth at outside linebacker.

Victor Butler: See Brandon Williams.

DeAngelo Smith: The media reports say he is struggling to adapt to playing safety. Maybe a game will bring out the best in him. I really want to see if he is a dynamic punt returner more than anything else.

Junior Siavii/Tim Anderson/Marcus Dixon: Are any of them good enough to be counted on as the backup defensive tackle?

Miles Austin: Will he outperform Sam Hurd? So far Hurd seems to have the advantage in their battle but a strong performance will probably give him the edge.

Sam Hurd: Can he carry his practice performance into a game? He was starting to emerge last preseason before he injured his ankle. Maybe he will break out this season.

Bobby Carpenter: He appears to have the nickel linebacker job locked up, but Wade Phillips needs to see that Bobby can get the job done in a game situation.

Austin May Win the #3 Job Despite the Play of Hurd

The training camp practice I attended last Friday was very interesting in terms of the wide receiver play. Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton looked obviously a cut above the rest of the receiver group, but the next player in my rankings would have been Sam Hurd. He caught every ball in sight and got himself open regularly. Miles Austin, on the other hand, was nearly invisible.

It appears, based on the media practice reports, that Hurd has continued his stellar play while Austin has been steady but not a standout. Hurd may deserve to win the #3 receiver role, but his lack of speed will probably cost him the job. Miles Austin has proven that he can force the safety to stay deep when he is in the game. Sam Hurd has never shown blazing speed.

If you consider a three receiver set you have to wonder who would keep the defense from jumping the short and intermediate routes if Sam Hurd were on the field with Crayton, Roy Williams, and Witten. Maybe motioning Felix Jones into the slot or sending him deep out of the backfield could provide a deep threat but that can't happen on a regular basis.

So, in my mind, Miles Austin will get more playing time than Sam Hurd for one reason...speed. I love how Sam Hurd is playing and I think he deserves to get on the field. Unfortunately he is not the guy who will keep the safety from cheating to help on Jason Witten and Roy Williams.

Training Camp Preview - Part 4 - Wide Receivers

This is going to be one of the positions to watch in training camp. Roy Williams is the #1 receiver without a doubt, but things are up for grabs after that. Sam Hurd, Miles Austin, and Patrick Crayton are all going to be vying for the #2 role so it will be great competition between the three of them. The fifth receiver spot is also going to be a fight. Isaiah Stanback is probably fighting for a place on the team with Manuel Johnson. There will also be a couple of other guys like Julian Hawkins and Mike Jefferson trying to make the team. Injuries are going to play a major factor is how well this group can perform.

Roy Williams - This is beating a dead horse at this point, but I really would like to see Roy and Tony Romo firing on all cylinders. There were timing issues and injury problems for both players last year that hampered their ability to develop any chemistry but this offseason has provided the time needed for that. Roy has been working hard and has shed some weight so I am expecting him to look leaner and quicker. I hope they have worked together enough that Romo trusts Williams to get the ball in traffic because one of Roy's greatest assests is his ability to go up and make the tough, high catch in traffic.

Patrick Crayton - Crayton is the forgotten man in the offense. He has done nothing but produce consistent numbers from the #2 receiver position over the last few seasons, but this year is going to be different. Crayton may face more standard coverage schemes rather than the single man he usually had to beat while T.O. was here. I know some people have concerns about his hands due to one play in the playoff debacle two years ago, but he actually may have the best hands on the team. I want to see him finding ways to get himself open during training camp.

Miles Austin - This is the guy that the team seems to be expecting a breakout year from. The biggest factor is going to be health. Last year when Miles was healthy he looked like he had potential to be a very good receiver, but unfortunately, he seemed to be hurt more than he was healthy. The fact that he missed time during OTA's this summer doesn't fill me with confidence on the injury front. I want to see that he is operating at 100% and that he has a firm grasp of the entire offense since he has primarily played in spot duty during his first few years. He has the potential to win the #2 role, but he is going to have to pry it away from Patrick Crayton.

Sam Hurd - The injuries of last season made most people forget how good Sam Hurd was beginning to look. During the preseason last year Sam was starting to establish himself as a guy who found the open spot on the field and made the tough catches with defenders around him. If he is healthy then it will be hard to keep him off of the field during the season because he always seems to find a way to make plays when he gets the chance. Again, I'll be hoping to see him functioning at 100% in camp and continuing his improvement that he has shown over his first few seasons. I think it will be hard for Sam Hurd to win the #2 role due to his lack of speed, but if he makes enough plays he might steal the job from Crayton and Austin.

Fifth/Sixth(?) Receiver - In my mind this is the last chance that Isaiah Stanback gets to show that he can actually remain healthy long enough to get a real shot on the field. He has amazing athletic ability but it has gone to waste for two years because he seems to be continually injured. Manuel Johnson looks like a quick, little guy who could win a roster spot due to his ability to get open on short routes from the slot position. He'll have to show that he can make plays on special teams as well if he wants to make the team. The rest of the receivers hoping to make the team are going to have to come out of no where and make the coaches notice them because they probably won't get too many legitimate chances to make plays during camp and preseason. There is still a chance that Jessie Holley from 4th & Long will be the 80th man so that could be interesting to watch if he can hang around for a few weeks. I would love to see Stanback on the field showing his athleticism but, at this point, I won't be at all surprised if he gets injured during the first few weeks of training camp.

The key for this group is going to be health. Two of the top four receivers have trouble staying on the field so there is going to be a serious problem if Hurd and/or Austin get hurt again this season. This group is full of potential but that can be a dirty word in the NFL. If several of these guys don't step up this year then the passing game is going to have serious problems moving the ball.

Some Mini-Camp Thoughts

ESPN has fallen in love with the fact that Jason Garrett told Tony Romo that he needs to lose weight. Big deal. We all could see with our own eyes that Romo was overweight at the end of the season. I'm sure part of it could be attributed to his back injury but it needed to be addressed regardless of the reasons. Why is this news? I'm not sure but ESPN loves to make a mountain out of a molehill. I would be willing to bet that there are a lot of players, including quarterbacks, on every team that were told to lose X amount of pounds.

Roy Williams looks leaner and quicker now that his foot is healthy again. I like the fact that he is out there working his butt off every day. All of the scrutiny surrounding his play and what the Cowboys gave up to get him seems to be great motivation for his offseason work. I hope his work can translate into a big 2009 season.

Overall, there is a new found motivation surrounding the team. A lot of players cruised through the offseason last year as if the Super Bowl had already been guaranteed to them. Not this year. The disappointments of last season combined with the roster moves have added intensity and a competitive nature that has been missing ever since the 2007 13-3 campaign.

Some of the injuries are becoming more and more concerning by the day. Miles Austin and Sam Hurd are both working on the side during mini-camp and that is not a good sign after they both battled injuries last season. The Cowboys are counting on these guys to be big contributors and if they can't stay healthy then I would expect a move for a wide receiver before training camp. Felix Jones is out and I am really starting to fear that he is going to be the guy who is explosive when healthy but never seems to be able to get on the field. I hope Felix Jones has a great season in 2009 and quiets my fears but I will be holding my breath every time he touches the ball out of fear for another injury.

The secondary seems loaded with talent suddenly. Gerald Sensabaugh is proving to be quite a steal for the low cost deal the Cowboys gave him. Mike Mickens might be the late round surprise of the entire 2009 NFL draft. And it looks like Mike Jenkins is starting to settle into the role as the starter opposite from Newman. I would love to see Newman and Jenkins outside with Scandrick covering the slot. Things are looking up for the pass defense. The big question mark on defense is now Anthony Spencer and the depth at outside linebacker. We'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

Final Thoughts Before the Draft

It sure seems like Jerry Jones is starting to loosen his grip on the general manager duties. More and more we are seeing Stephen Jones get publicly involved in major roster decisions. I get the feeling that the Terrell Owens move was the moment when Jerry finally gave in to his son and started to give him some control. T.O. went out of his way to point out that he believes it was Stephen who wanted him out. Good for Jerry for finally realizing he had too much on his plate if that is indeed what is going on. Some of the moves that have been made since the end of the season have been out of character for the Cowboys so it is hard to believe that Stephen isn't getting more of a say in the final decisions.

Now we just need to see a continuation of the decision making during the draft like we saw last season. If Jerry can keep from getting antsy while so many teams are making picks in front of him we can probably steal a few guys who slip down farther than expected. I wouldn't mind seeing the Cowboys move up a few spots to get one of the top safeties but I don't think it is necessary to sell the farm to try to make a splash during the draft. Sure, the Cowboys have 11 picks, but that in no way means that we need to package a bunch of them up to move way up to get one player. The more players we can draft the better the chances we'll have of getting a few hits although drafting 11 players does seem unrealistic.

With Miles Austin and Sam Hurd both finally locked up on one year deals we can all breathe just a little easier about the depth at wide receiver. I still want to see a guy drafted who can flat out fly down the field. I'm talking about a guy who has 4.2 or 4.3 speed and the ability to return punts. We haven't had a guy like that on this team in a long time. Patrick Crayton doesn't muff many punts but it would be nice to have a real threat returning punts rather than a guy who gets 5-10 yards every return.

I'm excited to see some new talent added to the roster. This weekend will be fun once the wait for the Cowboys to finally pick is over. You never know if one of the guys drafted this weekend will turn out to be one of the all-time greatest Dallas Cowboys.

Major Offseason Issues Still Remain

With the draft coming up fast there are still a few big outstanding items on the agenda for the Cowboys this offseason. They don't all need to be addressed prior to the draft but the sooner they are resolved the easier it is going to be for the team to move forward with other roster decisions. These are my top three concerns at this point.

1. Demarcus Ware is still negotiating a new contract/contract extension with the team. There are huge dollar amounts at stake for both parties here so the slow pace is easy to understand. The big problem is that the uncertainty makes it difficult to make many other roster moves because the salary cap situation will be effected dramatically by the Ware contract. The sooner things get worked out the sooner the Cowboys will be able to make moves at lower priority positions.

2. Wide receiver suddenly seems very unsettled. Neither Sam Hurd and Miles Austin has signed the 2nd round tender offer from the Cowboys. They both have until April 17 to work something out with another team or sign the offer from the Cowboys. Austin is currently meeting with the Jets but, so far, there isn't any news about a contract offer. Sam Hurd is flying under the radar after missing nearly the entire season with an ankle injury so I doubt he'll be going anywhere. The Miles Austin situation should be playing out over the next several days and it seems that he'll be back barring a ridiculous offer from the Jets. Any unexpected turns at wideout would put this position at the top of the list of priorities.

3. Special teams coverage units are still a major concern. Now the draft may yield some players who can contribute to the coverage units but I have some concerns that there isn't a special teams ace currently signed to the roster. I still expect Keith Davis to come back to lead the special teams (probably for the veteran minimum) but it is going to be a concern until something is done to settle the issue. I don't think Keith Davis is a necessity but there needs to be a leader for the special teams added to the roster.

Three Scenarios for Miles Austin

With the Jets sudden interest in Miles Austin it would seem that the Cowboys have a big decision to make in the next few days. Depending on how serious the Jets are about getting Austin on their team the Cowboys may be forced to decide exactly how much Austin is worth to the team. I see three possible scenarios playing out.

Scenario #1 - Austin Gets No Offer from the Jets
This would be the easiest scenario for the Cowboys but also probably the least likely. The Jets are going to meet with Austin and his agent and they may decide that he isn't worth a second round pick and/or the amount of money it would take to prevent the Cowboys from matching the offer. If that happens then it would be fairly certain that Miles Austin would have to tuck his tail between his legs and sign his restricted tender offer for (only?) $1.545 million. If only we all had that fallback option in our lives.

Scenario #2 - Austin Agrees to a Contract the Cowboys Won't Match
This is an entirely plausible scenario especially consider that the Jets must be pretty serious about bringing him in if they are meeting with him knowing it will cost a 2nd round pick and probably require a contract much bigger than his career numbers would justify. I think Jerry Jones will match an offer from the Jets within reason, but if the Jets are willing to grossly overpay for a guy with 18 career receptions then we might be watching him play for the Jets next season. The big question would be how much it would take for Jerry to let Miles walk. I wish I knew the answer but I doubt if he'll go much higher than the contract numbers for Patrick Crayton (4 years, $14 million).

Scenario #3 - Austin Signs a Long Term Deal to Stay with the Cowboys
I think this is obviously the most likely of all of the outcomes. The Cowboys will be in serious need of wide receiver depth if they can't get Austin re-signed. It was one thing to lose him with T.O. on the roster but his value has increased exponentially since T.O. has been cut. I hope the Cowboys can lock him up for 4 or 5 years at a reasonable salary. Again, I am looking at Patrick Crayton's contract as a reasonable amount. The plus side would be that if he really does break out this season and we get him signed to a Crayton-type deal then it would be a bargain.

The bottom line is that how this all plays out will have a huge impact on how the Cowboys approach the draft and the rest of free agency. If Miles goes to the Jets then the Cowboys will have 2 second round picks and probably enough ammunition to trade into the late first round. It would also probably move wide receiver to the top of the draft priority and/or it would put the Cowboys in the market for a free agent wide receiver. I am expecting Austin to be back but the Cowboys will still have a lot of options to fill the hole in the roster if the Jets blow the Cowboys out of the water with a big contract offer.