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Free Agent Rumors Continue

You see them everywhere, any fan that goes into any Cowboys Message Board will likely come across topics like "Dillon a Cowboy?" - "Duce a Cowboy?" - "Sign Kearse!" - "Bring In Brunell" - and so on and so on..


Let's look into the latest rumors and the chances of landing any of those names floating around.

Let's start with the most talked about rumor - "Dillon a Cowboy?"
First, lets be smart about this rumor. Dillon is coming off his worst season ever, and had nagging injuries all year long. In addition, Dillon will be 30 by the regular season. We ALL know what happens when a workhorse RB hits 30, its just a fact of life - the productivity declines drastically. If we are looking for a short term solution, then sure, lets take a look at making a deal with Dillon....but one thing that will stop the presses comes from NFL team executives stating that Dillon will go to the highest bidder. The teams in the running are the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Redskins. So wait, are we talking about a bidding war for a 30 y/o Dillon? Yes, so if this is going to be the case, forget it, Dillon will not be coming to Dallas. Jones is not in the market to have a bidding war on an aging player. Those hoping Dillon will just be released can count that out too. The Bengals will juice this out as best as possible. Dillon will count more than $3 million against the cap next season.

Next we have Duce Staley - "Duce a Cowboy?"
If anything, Duce would be the most realistic pick up. Duce is a true Free Agent, so its his decision to where he wants to sign. If he's looking to bait teams into a bidding war, then he too will not be a Cowboy. BUT if he wants to win and wants a chance to advance in the playoffs then he could strike a deal with the Cowboys. Staley will be 29.

On the Defensive side, we have Jevon Kearse - "Sign Kearse!"
C'mon guys this is a no brainer, do you want to throw money at another aging player that wears a tshirt on the sideline every other week or more? Sure Kearse is awesome when he's healthy, and we emphasize when he's healthy. We need everydown production. Plus, the latest news as of today states that If the Titans are going to use the franchise tag, they must apply it by Feb. 24. There's also the possibility, of course, that the Titans choose not to re-sign Kearse. The Titans have begun talks and would like to resign Kearse asap.

''We have some work to do, but it's pretty simple: either we get it done before he becomes a free agent or they elect to franchise him,'' Rosenhaus said. ''That's where we're at. We're working on it.''

Don't get me wrong, if Kearse was a healthy horse, then sure - definitely, let's give it a shot.

Another Hot rumor is Mark Brunell - "Bring in Brunell!"
As of right now, this rumor is probably as hot as it is in Tampa and Miami. Miami has some interest in bringing in Brunell. Marino, the new VP of the Dolphins does not see Fielder or Griese as the future for the Dolphins. And then you have the rumblings in Tampa. Gruden wants to bring in Brunell, which would lead the door open for the Bucs to cut Brad Johnson. Now this opens another can of rumors - if Brunell is brought into Tampa, then Johnson would probably be cut, so this could be someone we would bring in to challenge QC for the starting job.

This has been one of the most interesting NFL seasons in years, so I'm sure the 2004 offseason will be full of surprises. Let's see what happens.