Dallas Cowboys: Breaking Down the Contracts to Re-Sign Every Cowboys Free Agent

Who will the Cowboys bring in from free agency?

Will they have any money?

These are both great questions that Cowboys fans are hoping to have the answers to in the upcoming days. 

Before Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett can start worrying about what to do with the available NFL free agents, they have to figure out what they want to do with theirs.

So, in the spirit of free agency, I’ve compiled a list of all the Cowboys' available free agents.  With this list, I’ve projected what I expect their 2013 contract demands to be.

By analyzing statistics and player value through 2012 free agents' contracts and comparable players' active contracts, I’ve come up with a projection for the Cowboys to start with.

Would you re-sign these free agents?

Anthony Spencer

Previous Contact: 1 year, $8.86 million (Franchise Tag)

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 5 years, $51.3 million

Year One: $4.5 million

Year Two: $5.8 million

Year Three: $6.5 million

Year Four: $8 million

Year Five: $10 million

Signing Bonus: $7.5 million

Misc. Bonuses: $9 million

Prediction

Anthony Spencer was essential to the Cowboys defense last season.  He led the team in tackles and was easily it’s most productive player. 

The Cowboys face a defensive transition to the Tampa 2 and can’t be sure how Spencer will transition.  With other needs pressing and a deep 2013 NFL draft class, the Cowboys could use any additional money on cheaper players or upcoming free agents like Sean Lee or Dez Bryant. 

Brady Poppinga

Previous Contract: 1 year, $825,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $750,000

Prediction

Brady Poppinga came in late for the Cowboys and didn’t do much to help out in their faltering season.  While he was successful in Green Bay, his age and lack of consistent ability make him a huge question mark for any NFL team. 

Brian Moorman

Previous Contract: 1 year, $925,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $1 million

Prediction

Brian Moorman was a surprisingly efficient punter for the Cowboys coming in off of waivers.  Chris Jones was punting well before his injury, and now that he’s going to be back in 2013, Moorman has no real role with this team. 

Charlie Peprah

Previous Contract: 1 year, $700,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $750,000

Prediction

Charlie Peprah wasn’t what fans were hoping he would be after signing with Dallas midway through the season.  He did have one interception and a few tackles, but didn’t show the playmaking ability he once had.

I could see the Cowboys bringing back Peprah on a cheap one-year deal for depth.  If they do, Peprah needs to show he can regain his old form and again be a force on defense. 

Derrick Dockery

Previous Contract: 1 year, $825,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $640,000

Prediction

Derrick Dockery is just withering away in Dallas.  I can’t fathom a situation where Dockery returns to any NFL team in 2013. 

Eric Frampton

Previous Contract: 3 years, $3.5 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $1.2 million

Prediction

Eric Frampton came in and played admirably for the Cowboys.  Unfortunately, he’s at a logjam at the position: Danny McCray currently sits as the special teams ace, and the Cowboys are looking to draft a safety. 

If the Cowboys miss on a safety in the draft or McCray gets released, I could see Frampton coming back.  

Ernie Sims

Previous Contract: 1 year, $700,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 3 years, $7 million

Year One: $1 million

Year Two: $1.5 million

Year Three: $3 million

Signing Bonus: $2 million

Prediction

Ernie Sims was the unsung hero of the Dallas Cowboys' late-season surge.  He has been underrated but has certainly left his mark on the league. 

Sims is strictly a 4-3 linebacker but plays with an excellently balanced skill set.  The Cowboys inflated the market with Dan Connor last season, and Sims would be at slightly less than that.  Sims could stay in Dallas as a depth guy and find himself having a pretty nice career. 

Felix Jones

Previous Contract: 5 years, $10.5 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 2 years, $2.2 million

Year One: $700,000

Year Two: $950,000

Signing Bonus: $750,000

Prediction

I think some people will knock this prediction, but the truth is that Felix Jones doesn’t have much to offer another team.

While he is a fast back, he hasn’t been able to produce consistently and is known for being injury prone.  Felix Jones would be smart to take a cheap deal with a team that would give him an opportunity to get touches.  

John Phillips

Previous Contract: 4 years, $1.8 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 2 years, $3.45 million*

Year One: $950,000

Year Two: $1.25 million

Signing Bonus: $1 million

*Deal would likely be have an incentive bonus around $1.5 million

Prediction

John Phillips isn’t a bad tight end by any standard.  He has been fortunate to work behind Jason Witten and unfortunate to be behind Witten on the depth chart.

Phillips is an able blocker who has decent hands and runs good enough routes.  He could be a solid addition to any team in need of a blocking tight end who can still be reliable as a receiver as a security blanket.

The Cowboys would like to keep Phillips, but with James Hanna showing signs of becoming a stud receiver, the Cowboys can’t afford to waste over $3 million in cap and stunt Hanna’s development

Kenyon Coleman

Previous Contract: 2 years, $3.4 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 2 years, $3.4 million

Year One: $950,000

Year Two: $1.5 million

Signing bonus: $950,000

Prediction

Kenyon Coleman is strictly a 3-4 defensive end who is reliable in stopping the run and is good enough to occasionally register some sacks. 

Currently, I don’t see a fit with Coleman moving forward.  The Cowboys have committed to getting younger on defense and switching to a new scheme.  Coleman can still play but will have to do it in a different uniform. 

Kevin Ogletree

Previous Contract: 1 year, $640,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $640,000

Prediction

Kevin Ogletree would get precisely what he is worth at $640,000.  He is consistently inconsistent and has shown no real signs of developing as a NFL receiver. 

The Cowboys would pair nicely with Ogletree in case they get in an injury bind down the road, but besides that, Ogletree has no long-term value to any NFL franchise. 

L.P. Ladouceur

Previous Contract: 5 years, $4.25 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $825,000

Prediction

A solid long-snapper with the Cowboys, L.P. Ladouceur has no other real ability to help the team.  I could see him returning under a one-year deal but wouldn’t anticipate it happening. 

Michael Coe

Previous Contract: 1 year, $700,000

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 1 year, $640,000

Prediction

Merely a stopgap for a team with minimal cornerback depth.  Michael Coe is a decent depth cornerback who can play special teams, but besides that, he holds little value for the Cowboys. 

Michael Jenkins

Previous Contract: 4 years, $9.27 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 3 years, $6.95 million

Year One: $950,000

Year Two: $2 million

Year Three: $2.5 million

Signing Bonus: $1.5 million

Prediction

Michael Jenkins is a good, physical corner who can play solid on both coverage schemes.  However, because of a history of injury and his inability to get on the field last season, Jenkins will be looked over by most teams.

I don’t see the Cowboys making a play at Jenkins, but they really could retain him for a reasonable amount of money.  Either way, Jenkins isn’t looking at the payday he once sought and will find a deal comparable to that of William Gay or a cheaper Orlando Scandrick.

Victor Butler

Previous Contract: 4 years, $2.25 million

2013 Free-Agent Contract Projection: 3 years, $4.2 million

Year One: $750,000

Year Two: $950,000

Year Three: $1.5 million

Signing Bonus: $1 million

Prediction

Victor Butler is nothing more than a situational pass-rusher.  The fact that Butler wasn’t utilized more throughout his tenure with the Cowboys tells you that they have no real plans for him in their future.

Butler can be had at a reasonable price comparable to that of Aaron Maybin’s one-year deal in Cincinnati. Despite being cheap, I still don’t expect the Cowboys to make a run at him.