Josh Brent was charged with intoxication manslaughter last December after a late-night car accident killed his teammate, Jerry Brown. The Dallas Morning News reports that Brent will not play for the Cowboys in 2013. While both Brown's mother and the Cowboys have shown support for Brent, he will not be seen with the team this upcoming season.
Brent's trial for the incident has not been set yet so there is no legal reason why Brent could not play for Cowboys this season. The Cowboys showed they supported Brent after the charges by letting him stand on the sideline during the final games of the season. The NFL has not issued a ruling or suspension on Brent, but it could come soon. Goodell suspended Donte Stallworth for the entire 2009 season following his involvement in a fatal traffic accident that killed a pedestrian. Goodell is expected to make a ruling soon on the disciplinary actions the league will take.
Brent is in the final year of his contract, set to make $630,000. The team is currently over the salary cap by less than $1.5 million and could release Brent on those purposes. He has reportedly spoken to head coach Jason Garrett periodically and visited the team offices. The team vows to continue to support Brent through the emotional time, but that does not mean they will be able to hold his roster spot while legal action is taking place.
A business decision will have to be made as the Cowboys continue to handle the issue with sensitivity. If he is not allowed to play in 2013, he possibly will not be employed in the NFL. Brent has played all three years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. He played in 12 games last season, registering 1.5 sacks and 22 combined tackles.
