DeMarco Murray won't wait for Cowboys, signs with Eagles
Mike Fisher, Fox Sports:
"He's joining the Eagles," a source close to the family said.
The Cowboys never wished to go above-and-beyond for Murray, judging him to be a good player who had a great year, and judging the position of running back as one that very rarely merits giving a high-dollar second contract to a guy at or older than 27. That was never an "insult'' to Murray, anymore than it was an "insult'' that dozens of other clubs didn't line up to pay him. Dallas' threshold is/was, our sources say, $6 million a year. Murray's desire is $9 million a year.
The wheels have been in motion for DeMarco Murray to stick it to the Dallas Cowboys for not meeting his contract demands. When the Philadelphia Eagles acquired QB Sam Bradford from the St. Louis Rams, everything was now in place for DeMarco to join one of his best friends. Bradford and Murray attended the University of Oklahoma from 2007-2009. Leaving "America's Team" to join his friend with a chance to play in Chip Kelly's fast paced offense was a dream come true.
But all along, there has been Dallas Cowboys management holding tight to its long-standing desire to avoid overpaying the position of running back ... while at the same time hoping there was a way to retain the NFL's 2014 rushing leader and Offensive Player of the Year.
I think it is all part of the plan from Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys' owner. Let Demarco Murray walk out of the front door, franchise WR Dez Bryant, acquire Minnesota Vikings' RB Adrian Peterson at a reduced rate, and sign Bryant to a team friendly long-term deal.
The Dallas Cowboys have never acted like a small market team where money is always the issue. This one time, they cried poor mouth. And none of us bought it for a second. The balance of power has shifted in the NFC East. Jerry Jones will respond. "You can that to the bank."
Paul Murphy is a freelance writer from New Hampshire.
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