The Dallas Cowboys are coming into the 2015 with major free agency priorities, as the team has Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray hitting the market for owner Jerry Jones and there is a chance that the team could go after Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch if they are released or moved in a trade, as Jones could let Murray walk in free agency while keeping Bryant.
Last season Murray and Bryant had career seasons and moving forward Jones will have to pay both players for their performances to keep them in Dallas. According to ESPN.com, Jones has already said that he knows it will be "difficult" to sign both players back, but that he plans on making efforts to do so. Todd Archer at ESPN.com writes that Bryant is the priority, while Murray will be a target, but if he is allowed to leave, it will be because the Cowboys let him go.
Archer writes that while the cap situation will be tight, the team can sign both players if they choose to do so. Archer and other writers, including Andrew Brandt at the MMQB, have cautioned signing back Murray to a big deal, as he was worked hard in 2014 and could be in for a drop-off. While Murray set career high across the board, he touched the ball over 400 times and while he did not miss any time this year, he has injury issues in his past. Murray is still young, but running backs have a tendency to break down and ESPN.com reports that almost all RBs regress after touching the ball as many times as Murray did in 2014.
Adam Schefter at ESPN said that Peterson will be a main target for the Cowboys if he is released, as Jerry Jones has expressed interest in Peterson before. Schefter added that at least "six teams" are doing "background work" on Peterson and that means many expect him to be released this offseason. Peterson could be a solid replacement for Murray despite his old age, as he will be cheaper than Murray and this comes as the Cowboys are expected to do all they can to retain Bryant.
The priority over Murray for Bryant is not a knock on Murray by the Cowboys, but an intelligent allocation of resources. Bryant is a super star player and with the way the NFL is treating the passing game, wide receivers are way more important to offenses than RBs now. Most running backs can come cheap and still be productive and that is why Murray likely will get lowballed a bit by the Cowboys. Murray has said to the press that he is "realistic" about his contract and that the NFL is a business, but if he asks for too much money he likely will be on his way to another franchise.
Murray is coming in after rushing for over 1840 yards last season and scoring 13 touchdowns to set career highs, but this is the first time he has played a full season schedule. Bryant has been consistent over the last three seasons, making at least 88 catches in each of those years along with at least 1200 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns. Bryant has been dominant and he is one of the main reasons for Tony Romo's success and the success of the Cowboys.