Update: Canty has signed with the Giants. He received a six-year, $42 million deal with $17.5 million guaranteed.
What to say about this? I think the Cowboys were wise. They:
a.) paid Jay Ratliff first and;
b.) paid him sooner, which means he got a lot less than Canty did today.
Canty had prototype size but not prototype production. He may be better in New York's 4-3, as he always seemed to rush better playing over guards than he did over tackles.
His inconsistency ultimately doomed him at Dallas. Take last year's Redskins loss as a prime example. Canty embarrassed Chris Samuels in the game's first quarter, going through him and around Samuels for a sack and a loss on a running play.
Then, he seemed to take satisfaction in his play and took the rest of the game off. Samuels whipped him in the second half. There's one play where Samuels and Pete Kendall rolled Canty five yards upfield and turned him 180 degrees; Canty was facing the Cowboys goal when Clinton Portis blew past him.
Canty's was one of Dallas' biggest problems the past few seasons. They have far too many 55 minute men and therefore lost too many tight, 60 minute games. Will he finally put it together, or will Canty remain the perennial tease who eventually wore out your patience?
The Giants just paid him a mint for the privilege of finding out.
Update II: Bloggers have tossed around Green Bay DL Colin Cole as a possible Cowboys player of interest. In the last hour he signed a five year, $20 million deal with Seattle, with $5 million guaranteed. Use these deals to guage what Chargers' DE Igor Olsansky is worth.
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Chris Canty continues his cross-country search for a warm, $20 milion pillow for his weary head.
The morning broke with Canty in New York, and NY Daily News blogger Ralph Vacchiano reported that the Giants were toying with the idea of adding him to their DT rotation, though he wanted $15-20 million in guaranteed money.
The latest report from Green Bay has Canty leaving New York, with both sides accepting that a deal there is not meant to be. This interests the Packers, who are desperate to schedule a Canty visit.
Both stories claim that Canty had a verbal offer for approximately $18 million guaranteed from the Redskins; the offer was withdrawn after Washington signed Albert Haynesworth. Sources are quoted who believe at least one of the teams still on Canty's list -- Green Bay, Tennessee, Seattle, San Francisco -- will meet his price.
Which means we're only waiting to see where Canty will land, not whether he will leave.
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News from New England has CB Shawn Springs visiting Foxborough "in the next few days." It's not clear if Springs is a player of interest for Dallas, but they are adopting a New England-style approach this offseason; they're looking for savvy, reasonably-priced veterans -- Rodney Harrison, Junior Seau, Kyle Brady, Randy Moss, Corey Dillon. Springs fits this bill, though Dallas would have to out-Patriot the Patriots if they want him.
Update: here's some info on Brian Dawkins' Broncos contract. It's basically a two-year, $9.5M deal with $7.5M guaranteed. As the linked story points out, if he lasts just one season, he pockets $7.5M, more than the franchise total for a safety.
In other words, he was never a serious option for Dallas.