Jerry Jones admits DeMarcus Ware could be a cap casualty

[Jon88]

(Jerry Jones)

Posted by Mike Florio on February 24, 2014, 10:22 PM EST

The Cowboys’ salary-cap problems may not be huge, but they could be big enough to claim one of the highest-priced defensive players in the league.

Owner Jerry Jones acknowledged on ESPN’s SportsCenter that defensive end DeMarcus Ware could be cut due to his high salary and cap number.

“There’s no question when you are where we are on the cap, even though we’ve had some new cap space added, and you have a defensive player that’s your highest paid defensive player, and he hasn’t been on the field much the last two years, that has to be considered,” Jones said, via John Machota of the Dallas Morning News. “You can’t have it all.”

Ware has a cap number of $16 million in 2014, which largely comes from a base salary of $12.25 million. During the 2013 season, Jones called Ware out for his inability to contribute at a higher level.

“He’s had a tough time getting on the practice field because of various injuries,” Jones said Monday. “All of that we have to weigh with how much of that has impacted him for the future as well as where he is in his career and with his age. Those are the ingredients in the stew. Now we’ve got to stir it up and see where we’re going. It will be a very difficult call for us because of how much salary cap he uses.”

In other words, unless Ware voluntarily reduces his cap allotment, the team may do it for him.

 

[Jon88]

I can't think of a time when he's made the right decision on an aging player with a high cap number besides Deion.

We need some new blood on this team. Ware is not a leader. He never was. He never will be. Now he's actually a liability with his content attitude that he's always had. I've never seen anyone sit out more plays than him and have the biggest grin on the sidelines. Now that he's not that good anymore, it makes him jumping offsides hurt even worse. It's time to part ways.

 

[boozeman]

Howard Eskin is reporting the following:

@howardeskin: Report: #Cowboys D. Ware refuses to take pay cut and will be released by dallas. Actually smart decision by Cowboys

 

[Jon88]

Good. He's part of the problem on this team being content with 8-8 every year.

Carry your fucking ass, Ware.

 

[cmd34(work)]

I'm always confused/amused that fans get mad at Cowboy players for their contracts. One, you'd take as big a contract as you could get at your job and two, Jerry is the one handing out these mega-deals.

We paint ourselves into a corner with these huge deals. Look at Terrence Newman. His contract was so huge we had to cut him, meanwhile he has had two decent years with the Bengals for a lot less money. Even Roy Williams, who was terrible at the end, his contract was huge so he was cut. He played for the Bengals as well as was just as good as garbage Sensabaugh was here.

 

[Jon88]

Well I mean help us out here. We're in a huge bind and you won't renegotiate even though you aren't the same player and have missed a ton of snaps over the last two years?

Plus, how many of those sacks over the years won us playoff games? 1? That's not a very good return for someone who is supposedly one of the best of all time at his position.

 

[Texas Ace]

Good. He's part of the problem on this team being content with 8-8 every year.

Carry your fucking ass, Ware.

Agreed.

Hell of a talent, but a softie with no leadership skills whatsoever.

 

[Jon88]

Agreed.

Hell of a talent, but a softie with no leadership skills whatsoever.

Jon88 likes this

 

[Texas Ace]

Well I mean help us out here. We're in a huge bind and you won't renegotiate even though you aren't the same player and have missed a ton of snaps over the last two years?

Plus, how many of those sacks over the years won us playoff games? 1? That's not a very good return for someone who is supposedly one of the best of all time at his position.

I have been preaching this message for a long time and I can count on one hand how many people have agreed with me.

Most just get really mad and tell me I'm crazy, but yet when I ask for a game that he took over with playoff implications, or a huge sack that sealed a big game for us, no one can provide me with one because I already give them the Saints game in 2009.

Like I said, he is a hell of a talent and I don't dislike him, but in his own ways, he too has contributed to the mediocrity the team has endured.

 

[boozeman]

It's not accurate...yet. But it is funny watching the Twitter verse explode with people freaking out.

 

[Jon88]

I have been preaching this message for a long time and I can count on one hand how many people have agreed with me.

Most just get really mad and tell me I'm crazy, but yet when I ask for a game that he took over with playoff implications, or a huge sack that sealed a big game for us, no one can provide me with one because I already give them the Saints game in 2009.

Like I said, he is a hell of a talent and I don't dislike him, but in his own ways, he too has contributed to the mediocrity the team has endured.

He never won any big games for us besides in New Orleans, and he has the softest personality I've ever seen in a defensive player. We need to change some things on this team and he's one of them.

 

[Texas Ace]

I'm both shocked and pleasantly surprised by this, and it doesn't really have much to do with Ware.

I simply can't believe we're doing the right thing with a team vet in relation to his salary.

Too bad we didn't use this mentality with Ratliff in 2010 and Austin prior to 2012.