The Dallas Cowboys, apparently, stuck to their $5 million per-year figure for DeMarco Murray.
That's fine, but their stance also means they won't have the player who was their MVP last year.
The Philadelphia Eagles came through with a deal that will average $8.4 million per season, according to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson. ESPN's Adam Schefter said the expected deal is five years worth $42 million, with up to $21 million guaranteed ($18 million guaranteed for skill and injury reasons). Barring an incredible turn of events, Murray will be headed to Philadelphia.
"It was never about the money," Murray told ESPN.com's Todd Archer. "I could've taken that a long time ago. It's about winning a Super Bowl and being fair."
As good as the Murray signing could be for the Eagles, it's a definite blow for the Cowboys, no matter how much Murray was paid.
The Cowboys built an NFC East championship team (and maybe it would have been more if not for the Dez Bryant non-catch call in Green Bay) around Murray. It might be an antiquated notion to have a tailback be a team's foundation, but the Cowboys did it well. Murray led the league in rushing. Tony Romo thrived with less pressure on his shoulders. The defense improved greatly, in part because the offense sustained drives with Murray and kept it from having to be on the field too much.
So assuming Murray's deal becomes official, what happens now with the Cowboys moving forward?
Expect a ton of Adrian Peterson rumors to start. While that seems like a Jerry Jones type of move, there are more than a few hurdles, not the least of which is that Peterson is still under contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Also, the Cowboys just proved they don't want to overpay a tailback. If the Cowboys can get Peterson without mortgaging their franchise, it makes sense. But let's put this in the "Chip Kelly is going to trade 20 draft picks for Marcus Mariota, I heard that from a friend of a cousin who works for an NFL team" bin for now and consider other options.
The Cowboys still have probably the best offensive line in football, so they don't necessarily need a Peterson or a Murray to have a successful running game. That's also not to say Joseph Randle or Lance Dunbar, Murray's backups, are ready to be the foundation of the Cowboys.
Free agency still has some interesting pieces. Ryan Mathews might be the collateral damage from the Eagles signing Murray; he had reportedly agreed to a deal but that was before the better option was available to the Eagles. He is a very talented back but rarely healthy. With Justin Forsett coming to an agreement to return to the Baltimore Ravens (via ESPN's Adam Schefter), C.J. Spiller, Stevan Ridley and Reggie Bush are among the top free-agent backs available on Thursday afternoon. None of them have played at the level Murray did in 2014.
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