The Dallas Cowboys are coming into free agency hoping to keep DeMarco Murray, but if he leaves, players like CJ Spiller, Reggie Bush and Shane Vereen could be potential targets for Tony Romo in the backfield and this comes as the talks between Dez Bryant and the team on his contract have not been moving fast.
The Cowboys are coming off of a strong 2014 season that saw them return to the playoffs and the main priority this offseason is keeping Dez Bryant. The team has basically done that by hitting him with the franchise tag, but there is a chance the two sides work out a long term deal before the deadline. The Cowboys felt comfortable allowing Murray to hit the market and according to Pro Football Talk, Murray is "willing" to leave Dallas this offseason.
The Cowboys appear prepared to lose Murray and if that happens, NFL.com reports that CJ Spiller could be a potential target for the team. Some of the other free agents on the market include Reggie Bush, Darren McFadden, DeAngelo Williams and Ben Tate, while Shane Vereen is also available. Murray is looking to get a decent sized contract on the market and with the money that LeSean McCoy got from the Bills and Frank Gore (potentially) from the Eagles, Murray could find a landing spot outside of Dallas.
Spiller is expected to be heavily targeted in free agency and Yahoo Sports reports that "seven teams" could be interested in him on the market. Rand Getlin writes that the Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, NY Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins all could be potential landing spots for Spiller. Spiller is coming off of an injury season, but he has big play potential and also is a solid receiver out of the backfield.
There are teams with cap space that could try to woo Murray with money, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. Todd Archer at ESPN.com speculated that the Jaguars could make a run at Murray, as they are reportedly looking at Julius Thomas and may spend in free agency. The Bills paid LeSean McCoy $26 million guaranteed and $8 million per season, while Mark Ingram will be getting $4 million per year. Murray likely will be in the McCoy range depending on what the market dictates, but the Cowboys likely will not go that high early on.
Bryant's situation is not much of a surprise, as many predicted that the Cowboys would use the franchise tag on him this offseason. The tag for receivers is at nearly $13 million and if the two sides can't reach an agreement by the deadline in July, Bryant will either have to take the tender or hold out. Bryant said he was disappointed about the franchise tag and there is still a chance a long term deal could get done, but some in the media have been speculating that rumors of a video involving the wideout are slowing things down. Bryant had 16 touchdowns last season with 88 catches for 1320 yards.