Cowboys sign Andre Gurode to new contract

by Dave Halprin on Feb 20, 2007 9:24 AM CST in Dallas Cowboys News

Sweet! The Cowboys got one of their free agents wrapped up.

The Dallas Cowboys, fresh off their hiring of head coach Wade Phillips as Bill Parcells' replacement, resolved their top free agent priority by reaching agreement on a six-year deal with center Andre Gurode.

Terms on the contract were not immediately available, but it is safe to assume Gurode has become one of the highest-paid centers in the league. The start of free agency is only two weeks away and Gurode and New York Giants center Shaun O'Hara were going to be a hottest free agents at their position. To get Gurode off the market, the Cowboys had to strike the right kind of deal and did just that.

I feel better now; I didn't want to spend free agency with a hole at center that needed to be resolved. Gurode had a nice year and hopefully our line can go into 2007 with some continuity. Now, we need to get Marc Colombo under contract.

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Excellent news

Any word on Rivera giving some of the money back? No? Oh well...

by dunkman on Feb 20, 2007 9:39 AM CST reply actions

Gurode at RG?

I wonder if they have given any thought to moving Gurode to Guard and having Al Johnson at Center. Afterall, AJ was a second round pick and at one time Parcells was high on him. Seems like maybe AG's skills and shortcomings might translate better to Guard.

Of course, he did have somewhat of a breakout season at Center last year so it may be best to leave him there.

Is it generally assumed that Rivera will be cut and that Dallas will be needing a new RG?

by boysandbosox on Feb 20, 2007 10:41 AM CST reply actions

Nice idea

Wonder if that's an option the Cowboys are considering...

by dunkman on Feb 20, 2007 10:43 AM CST up reply actions

RG

His first two years they tried him a lot at guard. He just has too many mental lapses. He'll become un-focused and forget the snap count or go the wrong direction. He doesn't seem to have that problem playing over the ball.

He could be a great RG, but just doesn't have the focus to do it.

by FBuck on Feb 20, 2007 10:45 AM CST up reply actions

Actually

he had the same problem at center initially but Parcells felt he had finally come around. So perhaps he would bring this same "new" focus at guard.

Intriguing possibility, but a lot depends on what they think of Johnson and whether anyone believes that Gurode would succeed at guard. If Parcells had thought that, you'd wonder why he didn't replace a clearly struggling Rivera last season.

by dunkman on Feb 20, 2007 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

Not worth it!

He's being paid like one of the top centers in the NFL, but he played like a very average one. Does anybody else remember how Flozell and Bradie played after they got their big contract?

One good year after four failures shouldn't equal a big payday. Luckily it's not my money.

by FBuck on Feb 20, 2007 10:47 AM CST reply actions

According to Pro Bowl voters

he IS one of the top centers in football. And yeah, it's possible that he'll fold shop after getting his pay day, but let's hope not.

by dunkman on Feb 20, 2007 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

I guess you didn't get the memo..

The probowl voting is a joke. These are the same voters that kept Terence Newman out, that voted Flozell in, that kept Terrell Owens out. And he was a reserve at that.

by FBuck on Feb 20, 2007 11:09 AM CST up reply actions

I see

so no one who was at the Pro Bowl deserved it. And conversely, the REAL Pro Bowlers were all left out.

That makes no sense.

OK, it's fair to say that the voting is flawed, that good players get left off and underserving players sometimes get selected. That's a far cry from "a joke".

All that aside, my observation of the team, and most of Grizz's and others analyses, indicates that Gurode was probably the most consistent Cowboys lineman. So, what what makes most sense, blow up the whole line and try to rebuild from scratch, or sign the more consistent performers and replace the parts that don't function as well?

by dunkman on Feb 20, 2007 1:01 PM CST up reply actions

LOL

"the most consistent cowboys linemen"

..that's like saying the skinniest person at fat camp. I don't have a huge problem that he's signed, just the amount that he signed for. He's being paid as one of the top 3-5 centers, and I can easily name 5 better than him.

Pay him for his production up to this point, not his potential. That's money that could be waved in front of a guy like Adalius Thomas' nose.

by FBuck on Feb 20, 2007 11:12 PM CST up reply actions

The line won't improve

by marginally upgrading at center. It'll improve by replacing clear problems areas like RG, and maybe LT. Spend your money on the top center available - maybe Birk? - and we still have Romo running for his life and no running game.

Regarding Gurode... You have to get what you can when you can in the market. Gurode is no Stepnoski, but he's solid and he's being paid market value.

by dunkman on Feb 21, 2007 9:50 AM CST up reply actions

good point

perhaps we could have franchised him, he is already paid like a franchise center and that would have let the team see him play for another year before going long term

by 325424 on Feb 21, 2007 12:23 PM CST up reply actions

Cautiously optimistic on Gurode...

...but I also worry about a guy who has had problems focusing in the past getting a boat load of upfront cash as Gurode likely did.

But, really, what choice did Dallas have? Let him walk and you're looking at probably replacing two fifths of your offensive line.

by boysandbosox on Feb 20, 2007 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

I'm similiarly skeptical

about Gurode's commitment to playing well. He's been inconsistent his whole career. Bradie clearly regressed after his payday, and you could make the case I think that Witten did too.

But then again, do we really want to throw a rookie or Al Johnson in there? This move has the best odds at success.

by jsdoty on Feb 20, 2007 11:22 AM CST up reply actions

Sure

you have to worry that he'll revert, but you can't ignire what he did do this season. And that was to outplay the rest of the line, and by the way, at less pay than Flo, Rivera, and Fabini...

by dunkman on Feb 20, 2007 1:03 PM CST up reply actions

Colombo

Does anyone know if the Cowboys have begun contract talks with OT-Marc Colombo?

What do you hear, Grizz?

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" - Ric Flair

by kcbrett5 on Feb 20, 2007 11:02 AM CST reply actions

great job Jerry!

Say what you want to about Mr. Jones, but the guy has a knack for re-signing key UFA that we need to keep. Without Gurode, we would be extremely weak at center, which is the most important OL position, even LT.

Now that we have an extremely talented roster, I say our priority should be re-signing our own guys instead of signing other UFA with overinflated market values.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Feb 20, 2007 12:20 PM CST reply actions