Doug Free is still waiting. He is waiting to find out where he stands with the Dallas Cowboys. He is waiting to find out if his 2013 season will be spent with another team. He is waiting and owner Jerry Jones is in no hurry to make a rush decision on re-signing the lineman or not. In a pre-draft press conference, Jones said that Free's future depends on the NFL draft and if the Cowboys get their top target or not.
Jones admitted that players picked up in the draft this week will likely determine Free's future with the team. The Cowboys have remained relatively quiet on their intentions with the lineman, mostly because they are waiting to see how their draft plans shape out.
"I think it's notable that we haven't said where we are and he hasn't said where he is relative to his status as we go into the draft. That's by design and certainly we wanted to see how and what we do in the draft," Jones said.
Jones notes that the team has discussions every day regarding the issue and is looking to keep all options open. Free struggled heavily last year, splitting time at right tackle with Jeremy Parnell, making his future even more undecided with the team. Free currently is set to make $7 million in salary in 2013 and $8 million the next three years after. As the Cowboys look to free up more cap space, he is the player likely on the chopping block.
The Cowboys are targeting a lineman with their No. 18 pick overall. Multiple teams are targeting that position in the first round, making things interesting for Dallas. If a player like D.J. Fluker is still available by the time the team drafts, they will select him and release Free. The Cowboys have also taken a look at Florida State's Menelik Watson who should also be around when the Cowboys pick.
If they pass on a lineman in the first round, Jones is also considering signing free agent Eric Fisher or Tyson Clabo. He wants to get someone for relatively cheap and the longer those two players remain on the market, the more likely Jones can sign them to a deal that works well for the Cowboy's financial plan. If Free can agree to take a pay cut, his future with Dallas might be a bit more guaranteed. At this point, he will have to wait a little longer to find out.
