With one veteran pass rusher having a large cap number signing on Monday a new cap-less-unfriendly contract, another veteran pass rusher with a large cap number slides a little more sharply into focus.
Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware has a $16 million cap number in 2014, and he’s due to pocket $26 million in total base salary over the next two years.
Ware said last week there have been no talks on a reduced or restructured deal. Per a league source, there have still be no talks -- and it would be regarded as a surprise if the Cowboys were to squeeze Ware into taking less.
There’s a good chance Ware would decline, forcing the Cowboys to decide whether to cut him. Ware has been playing through a variety of ailments in recent years, from elbow to shoulder to quadriceps to neck.
In 2013, his first year as a defensive end in a 4-3 defense, Ware has the lowest sack output of his career, with only six. In December, owner Jerry Jones lamented the lack of productivity.
“He should actually be in the prime of his career, candidly, strength-wise, explosion-wise,” Jones said. “That’s one of the things we got to, I think, count on is him having more impact in the game as he moves away from his injury.”
If Ware stays under his current deal and gets healthy, Jones will be expecting even more. At some point, Jones will have to move on, especially since his cap number in 2015 moves to $17.5 million.