IRVING, Texas – While it's still unclear who'll be snapping the ball to quarterback Tony Romo next season, the Cowboys solidified the player who'll be snapping on special teams.
Long snapper L.P. LaDouceur was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent before signing a five-year deal Thursday that will keep him around through 2017.
LaDouceur's been a constant at the position, continuously delivering accurate snaps on field goals and punts for years. The Cowboys rarely had to worry about Dan Bailey putting the ball through the uprights, but they also didn't have to worry about the ball getting cleanly to the holder.
The long snapper's been with the Cowboys since 2005, when he joined the team after the third game of that season. The Cowboys decided to stay in the Bay Area after a game with the 49ers to prepare for their next game against the Raiders that season.
Agent Gil Scott advised then-Cowboys special teams coach Bruce DeHaven to look at his client, LaDouceur, after long snapper Jon Condo was having issues. LaDouceur attended the University of California, Berkeley, so he was already in the area. He got a tryout that week and has been the long snapper for the team since.
Scott again helped LaDouceur get his deal this time around with the Cowboys, meeting with the team in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. Several of Scott's clients are specialists around the league.
The deal for LaDouceur occurred during what will likely be a busy couple weeks for the Cowboys, in terms of extensions and restructurings.
