Dallas Cowboys Free Agency: Addition by Subtraction on First Day

Lights!

Camera!

Action!

It all came down to this: Day one of free-agent signing and the new league year in the NFL!

Some have waited days. Others have waited weeks. Some souls have held their breath for a few months by now.

And no players were added within the opening hours of opportunity by the Dallas Cowboys.

I can sense the discouragement already. This is understandable and it should be remembered that the Cowboys were far from inactive on this first day of the new season.

As expected, veteran cornerback Terence Newman was shown the door, with the team showing no interest at all in renegotiating a completely bloated contract unfit for the player he is now.

In another welcomed move, Dallas finally parted ways with kickoff specialist David Buehler following an unspectacular three seasons with the Cowboys.

Cutting both players saved the Cowboys between $5.6 and $7.6 million, depending on how the Newman release is designated later on.

In creating more cap space, Dallas restructured the contracts of cornerback Orlando Scandrick and assumed right tackle Doug Free. Those two new deals are believed to have saved just under $9 million off this year's cap. 

I would go so far as to suggest that these moves may have occurred with more urgency following the announcement that the NFL would be taking away $5 million in cap space from the Cowboys in 2012.

Another $5 million will be docked next season for apparently front-loading contracts in 2010, the uncapped year that preceded last summer's lockout.

It's apparent that Dallas really has no interest in setting the market for any position, although I do believe that they will land a veteran corner before anything else. Cortland Finnegan signed with former head coach Jeff Fisher in St. Louis and now the heat might be turned up a little with respect to getting a top-tier veteran corner.

I do not believe that the Cowboys are shopping right now.

On the contrary, Dallas is avoiding the price war and they can do this because Finnegan, probably the highest-rated cornerback available, is not the guy they wanted. This was no repeat of last year's suggested whiff on Philadelphia Eagles corners Nnamdi Asomugha or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

To this point the Cowboys seem to want Carr and this is the right call. I like Carr as a more physical but still experienced corner than the smaller and more temperamental Finnegan. If things move as they are thought to, Carr could be locked up by lunch today.

Some feel Carr's asking price could go up following the Finnegan signing by the St. Louis Rams but I don't think the Cowboys were going to break free-agent ice in the first place. It's been reported that Carr was the team's top target heading into free agency, and I would expect that Dallas can get Carr signed for a little less than the $50 million over five years that Finnegan received.

Time will tell.

It also appears that the Cowboys might be close to replacing backup quarterback Jon Kitna, who's now retired.

Kyle Orton seems to be pretty into the idea of getting away from Tebow-mania up in Denver,
and this would seem to be among the top moves to be made with respect to adding veteran insurance for Tony Romo.

Remember that Romo has been injured, usually costing him playing time, in three of the last four seasons. In the one season Romo was healthy, during that stretch the Cowboys won the NFC East and a playoff game at Cowboys Stadium.
   
The offensive line should be addressed soon but I no longer think that guard Carl Nicks will be in the budget. Ben Grubbs could be a likely target for Dallas at guard which is an instant upgrade over any other guard currently on the roster.

Could another tackle be signed to replace Tyron Smith?

A second-year veteran and first-round pick a year ago, Smith will make the switch to left tackle this coming season. The assumption is that 2010-11 left tackle Doug Free would simply switch back to his former right tackle spot, thus completing a simple switch between Dallas' two starting tackles.

But keep an eye out for the possibility that the Cowboys actually decide to move Free to right guard since this is also not a position that is well fortified moving forward. As I previously mentioned, the Tuesday restructuring of Free's contract might indicate a possible move to the inside. 

Yes, imagining addition is cool, but it's also important to remember that there could be other losses as soon as Wednesday.

Don't expect veterans Martellus Bennett, Tony Fiammetta and Laurent Robinson to play in Dallas this coming season. Bennett's departure has been expected for a couple of years by some, Fiammetta was not tendered a contract making him an unrestricted free agent and Robinson visits Jacksonville and possibly several other teams beginning right away.

Obviously the Cowboys took a big hit financially with the NFL penalty for previous salary cap management but it remains to be seen to what extent.

In other words, if there were no penalty announced, would the Cowboys have added any significant names on day one?

I still doubt it.

A big bang might not be on the way but good football players probably will be.

Just remember that it is early and also that patience can pay off big in free agency.

Spending big money in the opening minutes generally never does.