Dallas Cowboys: 10 Current Stars Who Could Be Irrelevant by 2014

Remember that soap opera “The Young and the Restless?”

Anytime I would have to stay home from school or spend my summer afternoons indoors instead of out I would always have to watch soap operas with my aunt because we only had on television.

One of her favorites was always “The Young and the Restless.” Now I can’t tell you the name of a single character on that show, but the title of that program lends life to the careers of so many young NFL stars in today’s game.

The Dallas Cowboys have their fair share of restless young gents. Tony Romo has pressure on him to win a title, Felix Jones is still trying to prove to his critics that he’s an every down back, and Mike Jenkins is like an enigma wrapped in a beefy steak burrito at Taco Bell.

Every team needs young and talented stars to attain some sort of success, and the Cowboys have their fair share. But which one of those young and promising players will be around long enough to take the Cowboys to where they want to be?

Let’s take a look at 10 current Cowboys players who may not be around in 2014.

Mike Jenkins, CB

Lets be real, some people were ready to chase big Mike out of town after last season.

He seemed to regress back to his freshman year in college as he was often spanked deep, racked up the most penalties of any defensive back in the NFL, and ran away from tackles.

If Jenkins has another season like 2010 in 2011, then he won’t have to wait until 2014 to find another team because it will happen much sooner than later.

Tony Romo, QB

Romo is the biggest star on the Cowboys because he’s the quarterback. He’s also a talented enough passer for people to believe that he can lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl.

On the other hand he’s criticized for not being able to do so already in his young career.

Tony isn’t getting younger, but if he fails to lead Dallas to a Super Bowl within the next two seasons, then I’m led to believe that 2013 will be Romo’s last with the Lone Star on the side of his helmet.

Jason Witten, TE

Witten’s stat line over the past few seasons is insane. 2010 marked the fourth season he’s been able to catch at least 80 balls in Dallas. If Witten is injured, he plays through the pain and never complains.

Jason is one of the toughest players in the entire league and reminds me of a the type of player who could have played when the NFL favored vicious hits.

But Witten isn’t a machine, and most players aren’t able to play at such a high level for a long period of time. I believe that Witten can play another five or six seasons at a high level, but it only takes one down year for teams to believe you’re best days are behind you.

If back-up tight end John Phillips continues to develop and Witten has a drop off in production, then No. 82 will be taking his talents to another city near you.

Anthony Spencer, LB

Remember when the ‘Boys decided to part ways with Greg Ellis and the team kept talking about Spencer and how ready he was to take over for Greg? Yeah remember how Spencer got off to a late start in 2009, his first year starting and people said how he was just getting acclimated to being a starter?

We’re still waiting on Spencer and from all accounts, he may not be the type of player the Cowboys thought they had.

I think 2011 is Spencer’s make or break season, and if he doesn’t break out like the team believes he should, then we won’t have to wait for 2014 to see if he’s still around.

Alan Ball, CB

Ball had an absolutely terrible 2010 season, and it's not entirely his fault. His natural position is that of a cornerback but the Cowboys moved him to safety, and that experiment failed to materialize any type of success.

He never looked comfortable and never got a fair chance to properly learn the position. So while Ball is often demonized by fans and pundits, and in this column, all the blame shouldn’t fall at his cleats.

Ball will be moved back to cornerback in 2011 as a reserve but by 2014, we may wonder if he’s even still in the NFL instead of holding a roster spot with the Dallas Cowboys.

Stephen Bowen, DE

Bowen is a rising star around the league according to a recent article written by Pete Prisco of CBS Sports. Once the league resumes operations, Bowen will be a target by many teams because of his potential and how well he plays in the 3-4.

My belief is that Dallas knows what they have in Bowen and won’t let him slide away so easily, but they likely aren’t willing to overpay, too.

I like Bowen and if 2010 is any sign of things to come for him, then he may become a breakout star for Dallas. But if the Cowboys aren’t willing to wait for him to continue to develop, then he’ll probably don a different colored jersey by 2014.

Marion Barber, RB

At this point most fans and pundits believe that Barber won’t be a Cowboy in 2011.

There was news over the weekend that Barber would be asked to take a pay cut, usually an excuse for teams to cut players, and that he will be cut before training camp starts.

If he’s in Dallas this season it will be a mild shock because I expect the team to let Barber get in the wind, but if he remains in Dallas any longer than that then Marion has an angel in his corner.

Dez Bryant, WR

There are only two reasons why Dez will be irrelevant by 2014. His career will be derailed by injuries or his off-the-field issues finally catch up with him.

I believe Bryant has some maturity issues he needs to deal with, but they aren’t on the Pacman Jones or Jared Allen level.

Bryant’s star is bright and his level of talent and skill is just insane. If Bryant is unable to control his demons away from the gridiron then his career will be shorter than one of Webster’s kids. Ha!

Felix Jones, RB

Jones has tons of potential, and his speed and agility may allow him to extend his career.

Since his rookie campaign in 2008, Felix’s production has continued to improve and 2010 was his finest year where he totaled 800 rushing yards and 450 receiving yards.

He’s expected to improve upon that production in 2011, but if he can’t stay healthy or his production slips like his counterpart Marion Barber, then his career will be short in length.

Orlando Scandrick, CB

According to an article on RotoWorld.com, Scandrick was the second worst cornerback when it came to playing against the pass in 2010.

He’s still a young cat as he’s only been in the league for four full seasons but with that type of production, his career won’t last long.

The Cowboys have to get better in the defensive backfield, and Scandrick probably isn’t in the team’s long-term plans. More than likely he won’t be in Dallas much longer and if he continues to regress, he won’t have a spot in the league either.