Dallas Cowboys Still Thinking About Franchise Tag
By Mike Dyce
Sep 23, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer (93) on the bench during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Many Dallas fans were appalled that the Cowboys used a franchise tag on Anthony Spencer last off season. The Cowboys then had a great season from Anthony Spencer and it was all celebrated. But Spencer still doesn’t have a deal and is scheduled to hit free agency and the question remains whether he’ll get the tag again or not.
The problem is the Cowboys like most teams are struggling with cap issues and will need to make a variety of moves to get under the cap via cutting players or restructuring deals. Tagging Spencer again brings more problems.
To tag him this year would cost the team roughly $10.6 million.
“We have Plan A, B, C, D, E,” Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “Some of those plans include the franchise tag.”
The Cowboys are projected to be roughly $20 million over the expected $122 million salary cap. A Tony Romo extension would help, restrucuring veteran players contracts like Demarcus Ware and Jason Witten. To tag Spencer they’d need to get $30 million off the books.
What really needs to be addressed is the overpayment of Doug Free and Miles Austin. Both were gifted large contracts after one hot season and both have failed to live up to their promise. The Cowboys drafted Dez Bryant who has become the man in Dallas, they also drafted Tyron Smith and moved him to left tackle and sent Doug Free back to the right tackle spot.
“It’s not frustrating. It’s not overwhelming. It’s what every team does,” Jones said, via The Dallas Morning News.