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Break up the Cowboys

The extra sting in Dallas' loss up at Green Bay isn't just because of the controversial reversal of the Dez Bryant fourth-down reception that could have put Dallas into position to get the win. It's because the team will be different in 2015 -- possibly very different.

Jerry Jones concedes that bringing back both Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray, while possible, will be a challenge. "Is it … financially reasonable?" says Jones. "No. Is it possible? Yes. But if you just look at it from the standpoint of dollars and cents it probably doesn’t look reasonable."

Both players are free agents, although the Cowboys will have the opportunity to use the franchise tag on one of them. Jones has said in the past that that player would be Bryant.

If they can work out a long-term deal with one before free agency, they could then franchise the other and keep both. But paying a running back who has never been able to stay healthy prior to this season big money, via either the tag or a long-term deal, is something Jones might balk at.

Bottom line, it's not certain that either Murray, who led the league in rushing, or Bryant, who led the league in touchdown receptions, will be gone. But when even Jones doubts they'll be able to bring both players back, it doesn't seem likely to happen.

Working in Dallas' favor is that teams have been hesitant to give big money to running backs. Murray could reach free agency and find that no team is willing to pay him the big money he's hoping for, and that his best option is to remain in Dallas. It's not terribly far-fetched; not many teams you can look at and say, This team needs a franchise running back to go deep in the playoffs. Then again, it only takes one.

Bryant will be back in Dallas. Murray may well be elsewhere. But he probably won't have as good a season somewhere else. Fantasy-wise, he's a more valuable player if he hits the open market, doesn't get what he's looking for, and re-ups with the Cowboys.

--Andy Richardson

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