DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys not in talks yet
Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware (94) in action against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
There have been some rumblings that Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware isn’t a lock to stick around this season due to $12.25 million base salary in 2013, which is just about untenable for a Cowboys team that is way over the salary cap due to awful decisions from incompetent dictator Jerry Jones, who continues to baffle us all with his inability to understand the most rudimentary of underpinnings regarding the NFL salary cap. Ware most likely won’t be released by the Cowboys, but they could be forced to cut him if action isn’t taken soon; that’s how bad their cap situation is.
Per a league source close to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, that action hasn’t taken place yet, as neither side has started contract talks yet. They almost have to come up with a situation in which Ware takes a paycut, but it’s going to be extremely difficult to force him to take a paycut. Usually these situations happen when a player has only one year left on their deal and is looking for security, but the 31-year-old pass rusher is signed through the 2015 season.
Ware is no longer the player he used to be, but he’s still one of the team’s best players on its awful defense and had seven straight seasons with at least 11 sacks before breaking that streak last season (a myriad of injuries really hurt his effectiveness). He’s poised for a breakout year next season, but he’s not on the upswing either due to age. That said, the Cowboys should do whatever they can to keep him, and it’s concerning to hear that there have been no talks to restructure his deal yet.
We’ll see if Ware is willing to take a paycut, because that will ultimately decide his future with the Cowboys, who continue to shoot themselves in the foot with ridiculous financial mismanagement.