The ongoing saga of Cowboys rumors involving star DE DeMarcus Ware continues, as the Dallas Cowboys may have a struggle on their hands to convince Ware to accept a pay cut.
Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star Telegram has the scoop on what may be turn into a impasse between Dallas Cowboys management and Ware: "Per a source, former Pro Bowl defenseive end DeMarcus Ware doesn't want to take a pay cut but will listen to the Dallas Cowboys thoughts about a reduced deal."
Earlier this week, the Dallas Cowboys reached out to DeMarcus Ware to present an ultimatum--either accept a pay cut to stay in Dallas, or be released outright.
The Dallas Cowboys' 7-time Pro Bowler is slated to earn $12.25 million this season, but he carries a whopping $16 million cap hit if the Cowboys were to retain him under his current contract.
If the Dallas Cowboys were to release DeMarcus Ware outright, they would save $7.8 million against the 2014 NFL salary cap--eating about $8.2 million in dead money for the 2014 season.
The 4-time NFL First-Team All-Pro was beset by injuries in 2013, limiting him to just 13 games in his first season as a true defensive end. He posted the lowest sack (6) and tackle (28) totals of his 9-year career, prompting many skeptics to wonder if the 31-year-old experienced a simple bump in the road or if his production is truly facing a decline.
One thing is for certain--if the Cowboys release DeMarcus Ware, he may instantly become a marquee name in when free agency begins on Tuesday.