JIMMY HILL
CHICAGO, IL
Do you think anyone is going to make a serious play at David Irving? If so what would a team have to give up to take him away from the Cowboys?
Bryan:Irving is an exclusive rights free agent, which means he has two or fewer accrued seasons in the league. The Cowboys can retain him by tendering him a minimum offer based on those accrued seasons.
David:Irving's situation is definitely the Cowboys' best bit of news from this free agency period. All they have to do is decide they want him back, and he's here. Assuming they tender him, he isn't allowed to negotiate with other clubs. So not only do the Cowboys not have to fight with other teams to retain Irving, but they don't have to break the bank to sign him, either.
H. MELVINHOBOKEN, NJ
As a Cowboys fan, I am pretty glad to see that Kirk Cousins may not be the Redskins' long-term franchise quarterback. I'm surprised to see the approach they are taking with a legitimate talent, especially after they endured years of RG3/Grossman/McNabb/Campbell and should know how difficult it is to find a franchise QB. What are your thoughts on their approach, and what would you do if you were them?
Bryan:I am surprised they went this route. I had a chance to visit with a few of their front office guys before the Thanksgiving game and felt like something would have gotten done. By handling it this way - they've had to lay out a bunch of money for two years instead of making it a better deal for the club. Doesn't make much sense.
David:That's a really fascinating question that obviously might affect the Cowboys for years to come. I understand Washington's hesitancy. That's a lot of money to give a guy who has displayed a tendency for turnovers, and who also has not gotten Washington past the wildcard round. That said, good quarterback play is hard to find in this league, and Cousins is only 28. I watched him bomb away for an average of 400 yards per game against Dallas last season. It's a risk, but I think they're more likely to hit with Cousins than by trying to develop someone new.
