Cowboys Suspend Spencer Talks & Anticipate Playing With 1-Year Deal
IRVING (105.3 THE FAN) - The Dallas Cowboys have broken off negotiations with franchise-tagged defensive end Anthony Spencer, agent Jordan Woy tells 105.3 The Fan in an exclusive interview on Tuesday, making it "most likely that he'll play 2013 on the one-year deal.''
The parties hit what sources called a "downturn'' in talks in early July, the problem being the club believes recent NFL deals have shoved the market value of comparable players down to the $5-million-a-year range.Meanwhile, the Spencer camp wanted the recent five-year, $66-million extension given to Packers linebacker Clay Matthews to be part of the conversation. Or, at least, the $8-million-a-year deal Cleveland gave pass-rushing linebacker Paul Kruger to lure him from Baltimore.
"Both sides have worked really hard to reach a deal,'' Woy says. "But at this point I would say it's most likely that he'll play 2013 on the one-year deal.''
Pending the passing of the July 15 deadline to create a new contract, Spencer – Dallas' best defender a year ago – will play under the terms of the $10.6 million existing tag deal.
In talks regarding the first-time Pro Bowler and their wish to keep his costs down, Dallas cited three contracts as framework: Cliff Avril's deal to move him to Seattle at $7.5 million a year but only for two seasons, so the total is only $13 million and the signing bonus is just $4.5 million; Elvis Dumervil's deal to move him to Baltimore at about $5 million a year; and another Seattle bargain, Michael Bennett's deal for just one year and $4.8 million.
Spencer has been clear on what he wishes his future to be.
"I want to be here for the rest of my career," he said recently. "Hopefully we can get that done. If we can't, then so be it."
"So-be-it'' seems to be the option.
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