The Dallas Cowboys have pulled off a number of offseason moves to try to improve the team and free agent Anthony Spencer is one player they are keeping an eye on.
According to ESPN.com, Spencer is an unrestricted free agent and while the team is interesting in re-signing him, there has been interest from elsewhere, including the New Orleans Saints, where former defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was just hired to run the defense.
Spencer is coming off the best season of his career and he will likely want a pay raise, something the Cowboys have been unwilling to do recently. Spencer had career highs in sacks with 11, as well as total tackles with 55. He was franchised last season and played on a one year deal and the Cowboys could do it again, but the price tag would be $10.8 million this time.
Spencer proved to be valuable when DeMarcus Ware was injured and he has been very durable with the Cowboys, only missing two games over the past four seasons. Spencer has played in 16 games in four of his six NFL seasons. 2012 was his first year with double-digit sack totals.
If Spencer returns to the Cowboys, he will likely move to defensive end to fit in with new coach Monet Kiffin's scheme. He did very well under Rob Ryan and may want to reunite with him to try and duplicate those results. The Cowboys still have a number of holes to fill and Spencer might be too expensive if he commands $8-10 million as a free agent.
The Saints will be moving to a 3-4 scheme now that Ryan is there and since he had his best season with the coach, it could be a good match. The Giants could also be a fit as they just released defensive lineman Chris Canty.
Spencer made the Pro Bowel as a late addition and since the Cowboys don't have much cap room, the Saints could be the best fit. The team recently hired Derek Dooley as a new coach and has added a umber of new names to Jason Garrett's staff after missing the playoffs yet again in 2012.
