The Dallas Cowboys are coming into the offseason with Dez Bryant as the main priority and they could use the franchise tag on him while signing back DeMarco Murray as a free agent, but if that doesn't work out, the team may target players like Marshawn Lynch, Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson or Mark Ingram this winter if they become available on the market.
The Cowboys came into the offseason knowing that signing both Murray and Bryant back would be difficult and now they are starting to see the realities of that. According to ESPN Dallas writer Todd Archer, the Cowboys have the capability to sign both players back, but it remains to be seen if they can do it without hamstringing the salary cap. The Dallas Morning News reported this week that Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said he is "leaning" towards using the franchise tag on Bryant.
Tagging Bryant would give the team time to work out a long term deal and it also would give them some flexibility when it comes to trying to sign Murray. The biggest drawback to the franchise tag is potentially alienating the player in question and while Bryant likely will still remain in Dallas long term, he did not sound too happy when asked about the franchise tag being used on him earlier in the offseason.
According to ESPN.com, Bryant said that he would be "highly disappointed" if he was tagged and this year the website reports that the WR tag will be worth around $13 million. The league has also been telling teams that the cap is expected to rise a bit, but that still will make it tough for the Cowboys to sign both players. The tag could give the Cowboys time to work out a deal without worrying about other teams signing Bryant.
According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Bryant will likely skip workouts this spring if he is tagged, but that still would give the team time to get a deal done. Murray is the more interesting of the two, because Bryant is nearly guaranteed to stay, while many in the league do not see Murray that way. Jones has said all the right things and said after the season that he wants to keep Murray, but if he asks for too much money, the Cowboys could potentially let him walk.
Andrew Brandt at the MMQB has spoken about Murray's situation extensively on TV and has written about it on the website and he speculated that Murray's career season in 2014 will hurt him more than help him as a free agent. Murray touched the ball over 400 times last season and with the way the running back position has been devalued, teams could look at him as a regression candidate waiting to happen. Murray is already 27 years old and until this past season, he has dealt with injuries every year and has missed games.
If the Cowboys let Murray go, they will have options on the market, as Frank Gore is available and is not expected to be back with the 49ers. The team will keep taps on Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson as well, as they both could end up on the market and as targets for the Cowboys. Jones has said publically he likes Peterson and if the Vikings part ways with him, expect the Cowboys to call.