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According to the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys have officially declined to pick up the option on defensive tackle Henry Melton, making him a free agent. Melton was brought on board last offseason to be the three-tech in Rod Marinelli's defensive scheme. The Cowboys signed Melton to a "show me" contract, one that paid him a base of $1.25 million in 2014 with a $1 million signing bonus. The contract became a three-year deal that would pay him $9 million in 2015 if he was on the Cowboys roster on the first day of March. The Cowboys have wisely decided that they don't want Melton back at that price.
That doesn't mean the Cowboys don't want Melton back at all. Melton is from Dallas, and he's spent plenty of time being coached by Rod Marinelli, so there might be a comfort zone for him. There were times in the middle of the year when Melton was showing flashes of what he once was before the injury, so a full offseason of strengthening his knee and getting his game in top shape might help him resemble his former self. The question is just how low is he willing to go to remain in Dallas, and will some other team come in and take a chance by offering him a decent contract.
So BTB, what do you think? Do You want Melton back? If so, how much would you spend to keep him?