Austin, Bowen, Procter, Hurd all get 2nd rd tenders
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Bowen, Three Other Cowboys Receive Tenders
Rob Phillips - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
February 25, 2009 6:08 PM
IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys tendered one-year contracts to four of their five restricted free agents on Wednesday, beating Thursday's NFL deadline to submit qualifying offers.
Wide receiver Miles Austin, defensive end Stephen Bowen, wide receiver Sam Hurd and guard Cory Procter each received the league's $1.545 million restricted tender, which secures right of first refusal and second-round compensation should the Cowboys choose not to match another team's offer sheet.
The league's restricted signing period ends April 17. By submitting second-round tenders rather than the original draft choice tender level ($1.01 million), the Cowboys increase their odds of keeping all four players because teams are naturally hesitant to part with a high draft pick in return.
Tight end Tony Curtis did not receive a tender. Curtis was third on the depth chart last season behind Pro Bowl starter Jason Witten and second-round pick Martellus Bennett, and the Cowboys seem to like the potential of exclusive rights free agent Rodney Hannah, who spent all but the season's final week on the practice squad.
Austin, Bowen, Hurd and Procter all are former undrafted free agents who have filled important backup roles for the Cowboys over the past three years.
Bowen's return will prove more significant if starting defensive end Chris Canty leaves via unrestricted free agency. Last year Bowen again worked in substitution packages and had 28 tackles, nine quarterback pressures and two tackles for loss. Without Canty, Bowen and fellow fourth-year end Jason Hatcher could compete for the starting job.
Two separate knee injuries (one in preseason, one last November) sidelined Austin for four games, but he's fast emerging as a deep threat at receiver. Austin averaged 21.4 yards on 13 catches this season, easily a team high and the best single-season average by a Cowboys receiver with at least 10 catches since Alvin Harper in 1994 (24.9). He also averaged 21.5 yards on a team-high 29 kickoffs.
Hurd appeared in only three games last year due to a season-ending ankle injury, but had become an improving receiver and reliable special teams player. Procter, originally signed from the Lions' practice squad near the end of the 2005 season, started 11 games at left guard in place of Kyle Kosier and also can play center behind Andre Gurode.
If a new NFL collective bargaining agreement is not reached and 2010 becomes an uncapped year, all four players will revert back to restricted free agency next year because they will have fewer than six accrued NFL seasons.
The Cowboys now will turn their attention to the league's unrestricted signing period which begins Thursday night at 11:01 p.m. (CST). They're expected to let all 11 of their own free agents test the market first, most notably Canty and inside linebackers Kevin Burnett and Zach Thomas.
Bowen, Three Other Cowboys Receive Tenders
Rob Phillips - Email
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
February 25, 2009 6:08 PM
IRVING, Texas - The Cowboys tendered one-year contracts to four of their five restricted free agents on Wednesday, beating Thursday's NFL deadline to submit qualifying offers.
Wide receiver Miles Austin, defensive end Stephen Bowen, wide receiver Sam Hurd and guard Cory Procter each received the league's $1.545 million restricted tender, which secures right of first refusal and second-round compensation should the Cowboys choose not to match another team's offer sheet.
The league's restricted signing period ends April 17. By submitting second-round tenders rather than the original draft choice tender level ($1.01 million), the Cowboys increase their odds of keeping all four players because teams are naturally hesitant to part with a high draft pick in return.
Tight end Tony Curtis did not receive a tender. Curtis was third on the depth chart last season behind Pro Bowl starter Jason Witten and second-round pick Martellus Bennett, and the Cowboys seem to like the potential of exclusive rights free agent Rodney Hannah, who spent all but the season's final week on the practice squad.
Austin, Bowen, Hurd and Procter all are former undrafted free agents who have filled important backup roles for the Cowboys over the past three years.
Bowen's return will prove more significant if starting defensive end Chris Canty leaves via unrestricted free agency. Last year Bowen again worked in substitution packages and had 28 tackles, nine quarterback pressures and two tackles for loss. Without Canty, Bowen and fellow fourth-year end Jason Hatcher could compete for the starting job.
Two separate knee injuries (one in preseason, one last November) sidelined Austin for four games, but he's fast emerging as a deep threat at receiver. Austin averaged 21.4 yards on 13 catches this season, easily a team high and the best single-season average by a Cowboys receiver with at least 10 catches since Alvin Harper in 1994 (24.9). He also averaged 21.5 yards on a team-high 29 kickoffs.
Hurd appeared in only three games last year due to a season-ending ankle injury, but had become an improving receiver and reliable special teams player. Procter, originally signed from the Lions' practice squad near the end of the 2005 season, started 11 games at left guard in place of Kyle Kosier and also can play center behind Andre Gurode.
If a new NFL collective bargaining agreement is not reached and 2010 becomes an uncapped year, all four players will revert back to restricted free agency next year because they will have fewer than six accrued NFL seasons.
The Cowboys now will turn their attention to the league's unrestricted signing period which begins Thursday night at 11:01 p.m. (CST). They're expected to let all 11 of their own free agents test the market first, most notably Canty and inside linebackers Kevin Burnett and Zach Thomas.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:34 PM
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