Dallas Cowboys: Could Jerry Jones Make a Bid for Shawne Merriman?

According to NFL.com, San Diego Chargers' OLB Shawne Merriman was given a "minor-injury designation" on Wednesday. This is a confusing label, but ultimately, it means that when Merriman is back from his injury, he'll be released by the Chargers.

Merriman held out for a bigger contract in the preseason after being slapped with a restricted free agent tender. He eventually nixed that hold out because he felt he wasn't gaining any ground. And he was right.

If he didn't know before, he sure knows now.

He was a top player at his position for the first three years of his career, despite missing four games due to a violation of the NFL's steroid policy. Since then, he's missed a lot of time with injuries, 20 games over the past four seasons to be exact.

He had four sacks in 2009, and in three games of limited action this season, he has yet to record a sack.

His play has diminished so significantly that the Chargers were compelled to draft OLB Larry English out of Northern Illinois with the 16th overall pick in 2009. This selection came just four years after drafting Merriman at roughly the same spot, no. 12.

During that draft, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was notably fond of Merriman, salivating at his star power and high potential.

Could Jones make a play for Merriman?

The Cowboys have generated nine sacks through five games this season, which currently puts them in a five-way tie for 18th in the league in that category. Six of those sacks have come from DeMarcus Ware, who was taken one spot before Merriman in 2005.

With the two rushers coming off the edge, they could significantly improve. Pass rushers historically benefit from one another by collapsing the pocket and forcing the quarterback to go one way or the other.

With a long history of injuries and with a calf injury that's hampered him all year, Merriman may not make an instant impact, but under the tutelage of his former defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, he could get back on pace. In fact, it was after Phillips' departure that Merriman started to decline.

Merriman wouldn't be the first San Diego outcast to find his stride with a new team. LaDainian Tomlinson has revitalized his career at a time when many thought he would never be more than a serviceable back-up. It is, however, entirely possible that Merriman's career will never be the same as it was in those first two seasons.

Merriman is another one of those players that Jones really wanted to get his hands on, but then-coach Bill Parcells was more fond of Ware. Now, the Cowboys could potentially have both on their team.

It could be a long shot, but the former Charger could be just the spark that the Cowboys need to get back on track.