A KAPLAN
NEW YORK, NY
Considering this team can't afford to keep continually kicking money into "next year's" cap, since the cost of keeping Austin or cutting him now is basically the same, why doesn't it make sense to see if we can get a season out of him? Have we all forgotten how important he was Game 1 vs NYG? (And yes, I realize that was the last game he was important)
Nick: I don't think your point is wrong at all. It makes sense. If it cost the same, might as well keep him. The thing you have to ask is if he's stopping progress for other young receivers like Dwayne Harris and Cole Beasley. Last year, those players were just as productive if not more productive later in the season. I think the smart thing to do there is cut him in March and post-date June 1. You deal with the $5 million next year with Austin, just like you're dealing with the dead money now with Ratliff.
Rowan: If we saw the same Miles Austin toward the end of the 2013 season that we saw in previous years when he was healthy, I might be on board with you. I just don't have reason to believe that player is around anymore. Compiling 24 catches for 244 yards without a touchdown in 11 games isn't cutting it for a player who's supposed to be the No. 2 option, particularly considering the amount of times this team throws the ball. A June 1 cut will free up more cap room in 2014, and while I understand your reasoning for keeping him, all you can point to is one game last season. That's not enough.
DAVE WOOD
SANTAN VALLY, AZ
I'm a big Tony Romo fan and believe that he is NOT the problem with the Cowboys. Having said that, with Tony's age and the fact that he is coming off a back injury, why don't the Cowboys seriously look at a QB in the 1st round? I know they have pretty important needs up front on both sides of the ball, but it looks to be a decent QB draft class.
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Nick: Then if it's a decent class, then it means someone will probably fall down to the middle rounds. I just don't think you take a quarterback – it doesn't help your team right now. And yeah, you can say build for the future but you've got a head coach that doesn't have much time left. You have a quarterback that's on the downward end of his career – same with guys like Witten and Ware .The window is closing and I just think drafting someone in the first round who won't play, is basically giving up on guys that are hoping for one last run.
Rowan: I'm not ready to do that. If Romo stays healthy, he's the starter in Dallas at least the next few years. Even if he doesn't stay fully healthy this year, Kyle Orton's still there as an insurance policy and a capable backup. In future years, it might be time to look at a first-round quarterback who can take over quickly. But this is not that year to grab a guy in the first round with so many other positions of need. I have no problem using a mid-round pick on a quarterback to groom.
