Bleacher Report - Articles by Wesley Marshall

Marion "The FullTime" Barbarian? A Look at the Cowboys RB Shakeup

Wesley Marshall — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:32:34 -0400

The sting from the recent playoff loss to the Giants had not yet cleared Valley Ranch when the talk had already shifted to the upcoming draft. The Cowboys, having traded a late first round pick the previous year to Cleveland (used on Brady Quinn), were entering the draft with two first round selections.

Early speculation was that the team was looking to add a corner and a receiver in the first round. But talk quickly shifted to a potential blockbuster deal in which the Cowboys would look to deal with the newly departed Bill Parcells in Miami, acquiring the first overall pick in the draft.

It seemed to be a perfect fit. Miami was so full of holes that one player was not going to make them any better and the Cowboys were seemingly that one player away from making another Super Bowl run. Then of course there was the obvious Razorback connection between Jerry Jones and the probable number one pick, Darren McFadden.

The only problem for Cowboys fans was a young bruising runner named Marion Barber. It was clear that any deal to Miami would include Barber, who had made a name for himself as a hard-nosed runner. He was once referred to as the "toughest runner in the league to bring down" by Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

I will admit that after watching Adrian Peterson run over the league as a rookie, I was at least curious what a player like McFadden could bring to an already talent laden team in Dallas. But after a quick daydream I stepped back into reality.

Barber came out of nowhere in 2006 to lead the NFC in total touchdowns with sixteen, and followed that up with a pro bowl selection in his third season. So why would the Cowboys be considering moving him for an unproven college kid?

The answer is more about the direction of the league and less about Barber’s running ability. With the new wide open NFL, more and more teams are moving to the running back by committee. Barber was no exception as he has been splitting time with Julius Jones since coming into the league in 2006.

Naturally, there were questions about whether Barber could carry a full workload and still remain effective and healthy throughout an entire season.

It was the split with Jones that allowed Barber to be the punishing runner he was without breaking down as the season wore on. Jones started and played most of the first quarters with Barber getting two to four series in the first half. This allowed him to remain fresh as the opposing defense began to wear down in the second half.

It seems that the question of durability was key for Jerry Jones and team management as they contemplated what to do prior to the draft. Barber was also a restricted free agent, making it now or never for Dallas if they wanted to lock up Barber before he hit free agency.

To the joy of most Cowboys fans, the team decided against a major move for McFadden and locked up Barber with a seven year forty-five million dollar extension, including sixteen million guaranteed.

So while the contract issues got resolved, many people were still wondering, with Julius now gone to Seattle, if Barber could handle the added pounding of being the full time starter.

Wade Phillips, admitting that he is a “defensive-guy,” has left much of the offensive planning to second year offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. Coming into last season Garrett decided to stay with the combination of Jones and Barber with Barber coming off of the bench.

It was one of the many correct decisions Garrett made as the offense exploded, leading the team to a 13-3 record and the number one seed in the NFC.

But as the team came down the stretch of the regular season, the offense began to slow down, after averaging over twenty-eight points per game they scored only thirty-two in the final three games.

So as Dallas began to prepare for the NY Giants in the divisional round of the playoffs, Garrett decided that the offense needed a boost and he chose to start Barber over Jones.

Barber responded in a big way, rushing for 101 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the first half. But it was the second half in which Barber and the whole Cowboys offense stalled. Barber could only manage 28 yards on 11 carries, as the eventual Super Bowl champs began to bring pressure as Dallas fell behind.

It was the stagnant second half that had some calling for a big name back like McFadden to compliment Romo and the passing attack, instead of the two back combo the Cowboys had been using since Parcells took over in 2003.

To compliment Barber after the loss of Jones, the Cowboys decided to draft another young Arkansas running back, Felix Jones, with the 22nd pick of the first round. Since the draft took place before Barber received his long term deal, many were questioning why Dallas took Jones over another top prospect—Rashard Mendenhall out of Illinois.

While Mendenhall was considered a work horse back, Jones had been touted as a third down, change of pace back unable to carry a full workload. This was something that did not concern the Cowboys as they had planned on that being Jones’s role from day one.

So as training camp nears and the Cowboys offense looks to build on last year's break out season, there are still some questions about Barber’s ability to withstand the punishment that comes with the way he runs.

The key will be how Garrett decides to use Barber and Jones. If he were to stay the course, which he has shown he doesn’t like to do, Barber would receive the lion share of the carries and Jones would spell him often, with Jones getting two or three series a game.

There has been talk during OTAs that the two could share the backfield in some packages. Presumably passing downs, as it is unlikely that either would be asked to lead block for the other.

It seems that keeping Barber fresh should be the number one concern for the Cowboys. He is clearly an elite running back in the NFC and needs 20 to 25 touches a game. He has a nose for the end zone and is great on blitz pickup, not to mention his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Jones should fit in nicely as he spells for Barber and may see some time as a slot receiver as the season goes on.

What will be interesting to see is who gets the snaps on third down. Barber has excelled as a third down back, always willing to sacrifice his body for a few extra yards. Now, with him getting the bulk of the carries, it may be Jones on the field for third down. But first he must prove that he is able to pick up the blitz that so hampered the 'Boys in their playoff loss to the Giants.

In either case, Felix Jones needs to be productive, because if the Cowboys want to defend their NFC East crown and end thier playoff drought, they are going to need a healthy Marion Barber down the stretch.

Jerry Jones: Outspoken, Egotistical, and Crazy Like a Fox

Wesley Marshall — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:55:30 -0400

For many people outside of the realm of Cowboys football, Jerry Jones is the NFL's version of George Steinbrenner. He appears intrusive and often seems to be putting his own ego ahead of the best interest of the team. In reality though, he is what most of his peers strive to be: a financially successful owner and general manager.

In his 19 years as the owner of the Cowboys, Jones has molded the Dallas Cowboys into a nationally-recognized brand. They are now the most valuable franchise in the NFL (estimated at $1.5 billion).

Jones has shown that he is willing to do anything in his power to achieve success, even if it means sharing the spotlight (for a time).

Since purchasing the team in 1989 for $150 million, Jones has not lacked controversial moves. He fired the legend Tom Landry, the only coach in the team’s history, and hired his former Arkansas teammate Jimmy Johnson. Johnson went onto help build the Cowboys' championship teams of the early 1990s.

But when Johnson began to get the lion share of the credit for the success, Jones became uneasy. He was reported to have said that anyone could win with the talent he (Jerry) had assembled.

So when most other owners would balk at the notion of changing coaches in the midst of success, Jerry did not blink. He parted ways with Johnson, who led the team to back-to-back Super Bowl wins, and he hired another former Razorback, Barry Switzer.

Jones was ripped by fans and pundits alike. Many called on him to step aside. The team however, hardly missed a beat, missing a third straight Super Bowl by just one game.

The following year, Switzer led the 'Boys back to the promised land, as they defeated the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, giving Jerry his third ring in four years.

While many fans still believe Johnson may have won two or three more titles had he stayed, Jones's famous comment turned out to be right on the money. It was only logical (to Jones) that he could take over the full-time GM duties, which he did, following Switzer's departure after the 1996 season.

It was from 1997-2002 that Jones received his harshest criticism. A host of puppet coaches and ineffective quarterbacks drove the Cowboys to only one winning season out of five.

The lack of success during his watch convinced Jones that a change was needed. So as his critics speculated that he would continue to hire lesser-known coaches who could be easily influenced, he did the exact opposite. He hired Bill Parcells.

Even though many Cowboy fans remain annoyed by the way Parcells left after the 2006 playoff loss, he, alongside Jones, helped rebuild Dallas into an NFC power.

Jones showed that he would be willing to share the spotlight if it meant success for the Cowboys. While they are still looking for their first playoff win since 1996, a 13-3 record and a NFL-record number of Pro Bowlers last season speaks to the positive direction of the team.

In his ups and downs as a general manager, Jones has shown that his willingness to take a chance on troubled players can reap huge returns for minimal investments.

The Cowboys current roster has several key examples.

Besides Adam Jones ($700,000, 2008 base salary) who looks to be on track to start at corner when he gets re-instated, he has fortified an already strong D-line by bringing in Tank Johnson.

Tank ($605,000, 2008 base salary) in his first, full offseason with the team, is pushing for a possible starting spot in the middle.

The best example of course is "that player", Terrell Owens. Considered a cancer after his time in San Francisco and Philadelphia, Owens has dominated in his two seasons with Dallas. While he will make somewhere around $30 million over three years, Owens was an extreme gamble in the locker room, and so far, he has been a model teammate.

It has been a solid combination of free agents and the draft that has help turn things around in Dallas. Jones has been an integral part of every draft since taking over in 1989, with the all too common videos of him at the head of the war-room table, every time the Cowboys went on the clock.

While many NFL teams look to supplement their talent with the draft, the bulk of the Cowboys current base of talent has been acquired since the 2002 draft. With players like Roy Williams, Witten, Newman, Canty, Barber III, Spears, Ware, and Anthony Spencer all drafted by Dallas.

That’s not to mention the undrafted Tony Romo in 2003, which Jones refused to part with when ex-assistant Sean Payton tried to acquire him for his move to New Orleans in 2006.

Not only has he drafted well, but Jones has proven himself to be a top-notch negotiator. He has often signed stars and top targets early into their success, as a means to avoid paying top dollar for his own players when they hit free agency. Recent examples include Tony Romo, Marion Barber III, and Chris Canty.

While he is not shy about handing out a big contract, he did not become such a successful businessman by throwing away money. Cowboy fans are reminded of this currently with the Terry Glenn standoff.

Glenn is upset that the team (Jerry) is requiring him to sign an injury waiver that would reduce his yearly salary from about $1.75 million to $500,000, if he were to get hurt again.

On the surface, it seems odd that Jones would haggle over $1.2 million after spending so much money this offseason, especially when wide receiver seems to be one of the team’s few soft spots going into training camp.

It is the principle for Jerry more than anything else. Glenn opted (or was convinced by the team, depending on who you ask) to bypass season-ending knee surgery last year to try and return for the playoffs. He did but was a non-factor.

Jones was not shy when defending his reason for the injury wavier, “I paid him $5 million last year and we got four plays,” he said last month when the situation became public. He seems to be sending a clear message to his aging receiver.

Jones also realizes that a less-than-healthy Terry Glenn will have a hard time finding a better situation than the one in Dallas. So why not give yourself a little insurance on an injury plagued 34-year-old receiver?

So as the Cowboys look forward to a season in which the expectations are as high as they have been since the ‘Big Three,’ Jones has once again positioned his team to contend for an NFL-record sixth Super Bowl.

The next time you see Jones patrolling the sidelines and trying to coerce an injured player back onto the field, just remember; there is a method to his madness.