After an injury-hampered 2010 season hindered Oakland Raiders’ cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha from meeting several so-called “likely to meet” incentive triggers in his contract, it was reported this weekend that the third year of the deal has been voided--and Asomugha is now an unrestricted free agent.
Like 31 other teams in the league, this likely caught the attention of your Dallas Cowboys.
Asomugha missed three games in 2010 with an ankle injury, and played hurt for much of the rest of the schedule. But there’s nothing suggesting that he is much less attractive of an option now than he was in 2009, when Al Davis rewarded his first five years in the league by making him the highest paid corner in the league, with a three-year, $54.3 million deal.
Since signing the deal, Asomugha has only one interception; he had none last season.
Of course, this stat is a product mostly of the fact that teams consistently refuse to throw in his direction. Last year, Asomugha was targeted 33 times. According to Stats Inc. LLC, per the San Francisco Chronicle, he allowed just 13 catches for 205 yards and no touchdowns.
Asomugha is 29-years-old, and will be 30 before the start of training camp 2011. Dallas would have to get creative with the salary cap, and bid adieu to some veterans to land the four-time Pro Bowler. That said, the Cowboys’ secondary could use some help. Terence Newman is getting along in years, and after the 2010 season, your guess is as good as ours as to whether Mike Jenkins is a viable long-term solution.
There’s no doubt that Dallas would have to pay Asomugha a good chunk of the payroll to land him; nor is there doubt as to Asomugha’s ability. The question for you, Cowboys fan, is it the right move for the Cowboys at the moment.
Weigh in down yonder in the comments section.
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