The Dallas Cowboys are currently preparing their organization for the 2016 NFL Draft; however, they will have to cross one more threshold before they are handing in draft cards - free agency. The Cowboys will have $10 million in cap space to begin free agency and this will not be enough to retain some of their own players, let alone make a splash in free agency in the upcoming weeks.
The Cowboys' free agents will include cornerback Morris Claiborne, defensive end Greg Hardy, inside linebacker Rolando McClain, defensive end Jeremy Mincey and offensive guard Ron Leary. Dallas would love to see most of these players return to its roster, but in order to do so, some players must either be released or their contracts restructured. Brandon Carr is a prime example of a player who is just not worth the money.
Carr is 29 years old and has not intercepted a pass in two seasons. In fact, his most memorable moment with the Cowboys came from Odell Beckham's insane one-handed touchdown grab that he allowed to happen. That catch has displayed Carr's face everywhere - from the Madden video game to countless posters and internet memes - for all the wrong reasons.
Carr was thrust into a bigger role after Morris Claiborne suffered multiple injuries in his time with the team. To his credit, Carr has played in every NFL game he has been active for, which means he has started in 128 straight games. That type of consistency is worth noting; however, his play while he is on the field has been deplorable especially for his price. Carr will cost the Cowboys $13,817,000 in 2016, and to put that into perspective, the franchised tagged Josh Norman and Trumaine Johnson will make $13.9 in the upcoming season.
Dallas can save $8 million if they release Carr and that is a number too big to ignore. With Morris Claiborne also set to hit free agency, the Cowboys could rid themselves of two very problematic pieces of their defensive backfield and look for upgrades in the offseason and the 2016 NFL Draft. The top 3 cornerbacks hitting free agency in 2016 will be Sean Smith, Janoris Jenkins and Adam Jones.
Jones actually has some history with the Cowboys as he played a season for them in 2008. At 32, he will likely command the least amount of money and could provide a significant upgrade for this secondary. Dallas will also have to draft a cornerback to add some depth unless it takes one with their fourth overall pick in the draft. Any way you look at the situation, the Cowboys must move on from Carr to begin building a roster capable of a deep playoff run.
