Sources: Marion Barber and Dallas Cowboys far apart on contract numbers

by Dave Halprin on Apr 16, 2008 11:56 PM CDT in News Comment 25 comments

The Cowboys have held preliminary talks with the running back's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, according to multiple sources, and are offering a financial package in the $30 million range.
Barber wants a package between $40 million and $60 million.
[snip]
Barber's asking price is comparable to deals given to Kansas City running back Larry Johnson (five years, $43.2 million), Washington's Clinton Portis (eight years, $50.5 million) and San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson (six years, $60 million).
The Cowboys, according to the sources, believe the deal that free agent running back Michael Turner signed with Atlanta in March (six years, $34.5 million with $15 million in guarantees) is close to what Barber is worth.
Dallas is also willing to give Barber a contract close to what Baltimore gave Willis McGahee last year, a seven-year deal worth as much as $40.12 million, if the last two years of it are picked up.

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ya see...Barber is a douche bag

The dude has 1 career start....And wants LJ, LT, Portis money ?????....Is he nuts or what ?

Gimme a friggin' break.

If he got anything close to McGahee money, he should be counting his blessings....

I knew Rosenhaus would pull this crap....

He shouldn't get a dime more than Turner.

'09 Starting RB - Felix Jones

see ya Barbarian....

True Cowboys diehard since 1975.

by BoyzRback07 on Apr 17, 2008 12:07 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He's trying to bargain

There's no way anyone offers him LT/LJ money. He'll settle for a deal like that this offseason if we offer it.

So busy with this blog that he has no time to update his own. Props to Grizz and co. (i.e. everyone here) :) Embrace Adam Jones! PacMan is history!

by BudLight on Apr 17, 2008 12:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i would say...

he should get a lot more dimes more than turner. he went to the pro bowl as a backup. turner's accomplishments are particularly tame compared to MB3.

i don't get mad when athletes ask for money. that's how it is. it's part of negotiations. if you ask for too much and don't budge, you're an idiot. but you gotta ask. he'd be stupid not to.

he'd also be stupid to think he's going to get LT money. but he should get more than turner in my opinon. way more. I'd give him $38-$40 mil with $18 guaranteed.

but then again, it's not my money so I'm not mad at the Cowboys for trying to get the best deal.

by Tuna Helper on Apr 17, 2008 12:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is exactly why drafting a RB is top priority. There is no freaking way MB3 is going to get a 40-60 mil deal here. He hasn't done nearly enough to get that kind of a contract. Stewart or Felix Jones has to be one of the selections. Heck, I would consider moving up for Mendenhall right now and if DMAC slides out of the top 10 look out!

by Cowboys81 on Apr 17, 2008 12:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's called negotiations my friend

Start high and work from there. No surprise. That just means Rosenhouse is doing his job and trying to get the best deal he can for MB3.

T-New, shutting down WR's for Dallas since 2003.

by APerfectStar on Apr 17, 2008 4:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree, we have an entire year to negotiate

thats why we need to draft a quality back in this draft, so he can spilt carries and reduce MB3's production because no other team will offer top RB money to a back who is part of a RB by committee.

MB3 is not a featured back and shouldn't be paid as one.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Apr 17, 2008 7:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I want to hurt you so much

Barber is a douche bag

by quincyyyyy on Apr 17, 2008 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

may I have...

Things a person wouldn't say to MB3 to his face for $500 Alex!

Just joking with you BoyzRback07. I say a lot of things on here I'd never say to an athlete's face. lol.

by Tuna Helper on Apr 17, 2008 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+2

let this guy go, geez, he's not worth half thatIMO.

by Longhorn on Apr 17, 2008 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sure glad I didn't buy my MB3 jersey yet...

www.brainfriednetwork.com [NEWS FEEDS/SPORTS NEWS/FOOTBALL NEWS]

by kcbrett5 on Apr 17, 2008 7:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Not surprised.

I know that these are the early stages of negotiations, and this is normal. But we better start preparing for life without him. If Jonathon Stewart is on the board at 22, we better say screw everything else.

by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Apr 17, 2008 7:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmm...

Interesting. If I'm the Cowboys, I want to to do something between Turner and McGahee's package. And then point out to him that he's much more likely to last for the length of the contract because we will always have a good backup for him.

Still, if you split carries as much as the Cowboys do (and as effectively as they do), you can't afford to spend $10 million (LT) or $8 millon (LJ) per year. Even if you have cheap options for your other RB, one of the points of splitting carries is that you DON'T have to $10 million on your RB position in aggregate.

I'm okay with giving more years since A) Barber hasn't had many injury problems, B) we'll probably always be limiting his carries so he never gets as high as LJ, LT, etc, and C) it's a way to increase the total value of the contract without actually being tied down to anything. Still, I don't want to seem them go over $7 million/year. If he insists on that, we'll have to let him go.

Remember, outside of guard and maybe DT, there is no easier position to replace than RB. I'm not saying having one of the best doesn't make a difference, just that it's easy to replace them so that's not where you should tie up a lot of your cap space. Save that cap space for QB, LT, CB, WR, and pass-rushers.

"It was a 4-yard run taking the scenic route." -Joe Buck on Romo's Run

by GhettoBear04 on Apr 17, 2008 8:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

totally agree with Ghetto...

True Cowboys diehard since 1975.

by BoyzRback07 on Apr 17, 2008 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Everyone needs to chill out

We have around a year to get this deal done for goodness sake. The only person whose interest it is to get it done as soon as possible is MB3's. We could care less if this gets done till next off season.

And does anyone here actually think McGahee is better than Barber? Barber deserves around a 6 year 45 million dollar contract. And hopefully that is what he'll get. Giving Barber a contract in the 30 million dollar range is laughable.

If I was Barber I wouldn't accept that ludicrous offer and neither should he.

by quincyyyyy on Apr 17, 2008 9:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually, the longer it goes on it could hurt our

chances at resigning MB3. If he has a great year than his asking price could increase or he could be less willing to negoiate his current asking terms. We have to prepare life without MB3 in this draft by taking a RB capable of starting.

by Cowboys81 on Apr 17, 2008 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he plays like a premier back in the starting

role all year long, we will give him what he is asking for.

by quincyyyyy on Apr 17, 2008 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but the Cowboys can control how great

of a year he can have by drafting a RB in the 1st rd and having him spilt a lot of carries and also share in the TD production.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Apr 17, 2008 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jerry Won't Be Stupid

I love watching MB3. Every time he touches the ball he runs at defenders like he's trying to hurt them, and sometimes does. But I can't imagine him having a career lasting 3 more productive seasons. Granted it's way better to do the punishing than being punished, but the guy still takes a major beating. The great thing about Emmitt in terms of longevity was that he rarely got hit squarely; MB3 gets hit squarely every time he touches the ball.

Jerry won't give him stoopid money; he made that mistake in the late 90's when he tried to hold onto the accomplishments of the past.

by jmangell0830 on Apr 17, 2008 10:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I agreee

MB3 will never get that kind of money here no matter what kind of season he has. He is best used the way he was this past season. I think he will wear down and his career could be cut short because of his running style if he had to carry the load.

by Cowboys81 on Apr 17, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Barber just wants to be set as a Cowboy and an

NFL RB, and this is his best chance at getting a long-term deal to define his career. Look, I know that he and his agent are pissing people off by wanting top dollar, but they'll come to an understanding.

Whether he's to be THE back, or share the load, Barber is a Cowboy. We found him in the draft; therefore, that talent should be ours to use as we wish.

A potential 1st or 2nd round back coming into camp is pressing him and his agent to ensure his future now.

That #38 sure can hit!

by Aaron Novinger on Apr 17, 2008 11:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Indeed

That and he made the Pro Bowl this year without starting full-time, so they are trying to have their cake and eat it too by demanding elite RB money (they can say he's just as good, having made the pro bowl, and dismiss the "he's never started" retorts).

Unfortunately I think this is probably MB3's last season as a Cowboy unless he has a bad year, but who knows. If he proves himself indispensible, he'll be kept at the expense of other guys; if not, he'll be gone. That's just the business. And it's why, even when you have a young stud at RB, you always have to think about drafting his replacement.

by grapejoos on Apr 17, 2008 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

he'll end up signing for 35 million

or somewhere around that number.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Apr 17, 2008 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think this is VERY predictable

Remember, either way, MBIII runs fo rDallas this season. Just like he played the Romo deal, Jones has the right approach. He is offering MBIII "fair market money". Rosenhaus is asking for LT money. Jones is in the drver's seat because he can afford to watch Barber play out the season. If he runs like LT as a starter, the offer goes up. If he turns out more middle of the road, he doesn't.

Jones has a pretty good idea that MBIII will be better than Julius, so he's willing to offer respectable money, but he can afford to let it play out if MBIII's agent wants to insist on the top-end money. It takes the risk completely off of Jones'.

Sit back and enjoy. It's brilliant business.

by dunkman on Apr 17, 2008 6:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs