IRVING, Texas – For six months the question has swirled: Will the Cowboys ask cornerback Brandon Carr to rework his contract or potentially designate him a post-June 1 cut?
Well, June 2 is officially post-June 1, and no such move has been made to this point. Carr remains on the roster as the Cowboys move deeper into their offseason program with training camp approaching at the end of July.
Carr is set to count $12.7 million against the salary cap in 2015. Releasing him would save Carr's $8 million base salary this year but roll $7.4 million in dead money onto the 2016 cap.
Cowboys officials have mostly declined to address any potential discussions regarding Carr's contract. Owner/general manager Jerry Jones did say three weeks ago that the team was "looking to the extent that we can make contractual adjustments that would fit and help us under the cap," but he reiterated that Carr is a valued asset to the secondary.
"We want him on the football field," Jones said.
Carr is coming off a 2014 season in which he did not record an interception for the first time in his seven-year career. However, he played very well in December and in the team's two playoff games against elite receivers Calvin Johnson and Jordy Nelson.
With Mo Claiborne still working his way back from a season-ending knee injury, Carr's veteran experience is indeed an asset to the position's overall talent and depth.
And to Carr's credit, he has continued to carry himself this offseason as a team leader who expects to be back in Dallas. He's been a regular participant in the offseason program, he's attended team charity events and he's embraced the opportunity to mentor first-round pick Byron Jones. The task of improving on last year has been his focus; not all the contract talk.
"You talk to me about it more than they do," he recently told a group of reporters.
As things stand on June 2, it's business as usual for Carr and the Cowboys.
[embeddedad0]
