Jerry Jones might be misguided in his player evaluations from time to time, his mouth might be prone to writing checks his team can't cash and he's certainly willing overly prideful from time to time, but there's never been a moment where you didn't believe he wasn't fully committed to winning football games.
Until now, that is.
The idea that the Cowboys are ready to push Patrick Crayton overboard before Saturday's deadline to pare the roster down to 53 players is an affront to just about everything Double J has been selling the faithful during his tenure as owner. Every time the ticket prices went up, you could grin and bear it because the money was going toward keeping good players on the roster. When JerryWorld opened and he charged a mortgage payment for the right to get inside, you had to swallow a little deeper but you let your kid go without braces, paid for parking and supported a team that always tried its best.
Part of the problem is the fact that Crayton will make $2 million this year which would mean something in some seasons. In this uncapped year, though, it is a few luxury box pizzas and a slightly lower profit margin for Jones for a player who will actually have an impact on this year's team. The bigger part of the problem is that Double J's prideful side demands Roy Williams play a role in the offense, but we're done banging our head against that particular wall.
Crayton isn't just a wide receiver, he's a major contributor on special teams and a player who has earned Tony Romo's trust over the years. Williams hasn't done that. Dez Bryant hasn't done that and neither of those guys will do any of the dirty work the Cowboys need in the kicking game. Neither guy has been the picture of health either and it is far too easy to envision a scenario where Kevin Ogletree is the second receiver if Crayton's sent packing.
And while we're on record as big fans of Miles Austin, it seems far wiser to actually see how his second season plays out before throwing away the most dependable alternative on the roster in a fit of penny pinching.
In the end, that's what makes this such a galling idea. The Cowboys are breaking their covenant with the fan base by getting rid of a very helpful player because they can save a little money by keeping someone else in his place. Obviously this all goes back to Williams, but if you're going to swallow a mistake of that magnitude you should at least have the decency to not make another one with a valuable player like Crayton.
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