DeMarco Murray is probably smiling right now.
With Murray in the midst of the three-day window during which teams can negotiate with impending free agents, the Bills agreed to pay running back LeSean McCoy $16 million in 2015. And that comes a day after the Saints agreed to pay $4 million per year to a guy who never has rushed for 1,000 yards.
Murray, with 1,845 yards in 2015, set the single-season franchise record for a franchise that has had players like Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett. If McCoy is worth $16 million in 2015 after having a supposedly down year, what’s Murray worth?
His agents are currently finding out. And then the Cowboys will find out how much it will take to keep him.
The problem for Dallas is that, if Murray ends up getting a big deal and pushing the market even higher, it will become more expensive to find a replacement — unless they plan to stay in house.
Murray undoubtedly will be the next major domino to fall in the running back. And that ultimately could work to the considerable benefit of guys like Frank Gore, C.J. Spiller, and beyond.