Dexter Coakley released

[Hook Dem]

Looks like Dallas is beefing up for the 3-4. Released Coakley today to prevent paying him 5.3 Mil bonus due if retained for 3rd year. Parcells wants more size.

[King]

They may resign him, I've heard. Just had to cut him to save a big cap hit.

[Ballcox]

Looks like Dallas is beefing up for the 3-4. Released Coakley today to prevent paying him 5.3 Mil bonus due if retained for 3rd year. Parcells wants more size.

It wasn't a 5.3 mil bonus he was due, it was a roster bonus of a little over 500,000. The Cowboys saved approx. 2.9 mil on their cap by letting him go, have to eat the remaining 1.8-1.9 of his pro-rated signing bonus, still saves Cowboys money in the end. :spin

There is also the possibility that Coakley will return to the Cowboys if he can't find another team willing to pay him in the 3.5-3.8 mil per season he's looking for, might take a little less money and come back to the Cowboys, although he's not a great fit for a 3-4 base defense, a bit undersized. However, given Coakley's history of overcoming long odds I wouldn't be surprised if he played well in a 3-4 defense. I personally love the guy and have enjoyed watching him play for the Cowboys. Cowboys might also be making moves through free agency to get the type of LB's needed for the 3-4, K. Bell from Pittsburgh and another LB from the Ravens are both on the Cowboys radar at this time.

respect the 'fro :fro

Hook Dem, sorry for the above, looked at your post again and realized I mis-read your statement on the bonus info. Coakley would make that amount if retained for next season, I was thinking about the roster bonus he would get if still on the team. In any event, I hope he comes back, I love watching the guy play.

[maxpower]

Coakley would have been about a 4 million cap hit...in any case he hooked up with the Rams for a signing bonus of about 3 million and total of about 200 g more than what he would have made with boys.


Parcells' luster is long gone. I've heard a quote from kraft, I believe, owner of the Pats who characterized Parcells(back then) as building a team for that particular year and not for the future. He apparently still lives by this philosophy.

He is going after Jets lineman for about 4 mil signing bonus..his pick for the jets from the 97 draft...another former parcells player(supposedly his best pick ever). Can't remember his name but is 31 years old. This is getting old.

[Hook Dem]

So long Dexter! Now a Saint Louis Ram!

[King]

I've seen the Kraft quote about Tuna, and I can't say I regard it as gospel. They left on pretty bad terms, so I assume there is three sides to the story. Kraft's, Tuna's, and the truth.

And I'd say Parcells left them and the Jets with some pretty decent coaches and players.

[maxpower]

True or not...parcells is not doing anything to dispel that characteristic.
Most every move he has made is for the extremely short term. He has done everything to shy away from developing any long term players.

[Hook Dem]

Cowboys sign DT Ferguson, G Rivera Click here to find out more!
NFL.com wire reports

IRVING, Texas (March 3, 2005) -- The Dallas Cowboys signed defensive tackle Jason Ferguson and guard Marco Rivera, two more needed players to their offseason upgrade.










The Cowboys also signed cornerback Anthony Henry and quarterback Drew Bledsoe last week, filling their four most pressing needs just two days into free agency.

"Our plan was to be very aggressive in free agency," said owner Jerry Jones, who wrote $30 million worth of bonus checks this week. "If you're going to go, go and go quick."

Like Bledsoe, Ferguson is a former draftee of Cowboys coach Bill Parcells. Parcells has often called the massive defensive tackle one of the best picks he's ever made, mainly because he snagged him in the seventh round for the New York Jets.

Ferguson was expected to get a five-year deal.

With plenty of room under the salary cap, clearly defined needs after a 6-10 season and Parcells' urgency to win this season, the Cowboys were anticipating a big start to the free-agent signing period. Ferguson, Henry and Rivera were all in town March 2. Dallas wound up finishing only Henry's deal that day -- five years, roughly $11 million in bonus money.

The 6-foot-3, 305-pound Ferguson becomes the anchor of what will be a revamped defensive line, especially if the Cowboys shift from the 4-3 to a 3-4. Regardless, he becomes the block-eating wide body to pair next to perennial Pro Bowl pick La'Roi Glover.

Rivera has blocked for Brett Favre in Green Bay for the past nine years, playing every game the last six. He's expected to take over at right guard, a problem spot throughout last season. He signed for five years with a $9 million signing bonus.

Ferguson is 30 and Rivera is 33, further indication that the Cowboys are building for 2005, when Parcells will be in the second-to-last year of his contract.

Henry is 28 and has no direct ties to Parcells, but he does have a connection with a Dallas assistant. Todd Bowles is the only position coach he's had in the NFL, having worked together the past four years in Cleveland.

Henry had 10 interceptions as a rookie in 2001, but just seven since. Still, he's considered a physical corner (85 tackles last season) who should be far more reliable on the right side than any of the four players Dallas was forced to use last season after not signing any free agents to play opposite Terence Newman.

[T Park]

As a Rams fan, should I be excited about Dexter Coakley??

TO be honest, I wish they wouldve signed some good lineman to stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback.

ALso a couple of CBs would've worked out great too.

[Ballcox]

As a Rams fan, should I be excited about Dexter Coakley??

TO be honest, I wish they wouldve signed some good lineman to stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback.

ALso a couple of CBs would've worked out great too.


He's a solid guy, both on the field and off. He also plays with big time intensity and is a student of the game, I really wanted him to stay with my Cowboys. He isn't a guy who makes spectacular plays, but he's a good speed LB who is rarely out of position and knows how to tackle. A good overall addition.

respect the 'fro :fro

[T Park]

knows how to tackle

good, maybe then he coudl teach guys like Polley, Archuleta, and others how to.


Ok, good signing, I liked the signing for Chambers.


Resigning Pace was huge, now if they could get about 2 other GOOD offensive linema,n, the team might improve quite a bit.