Roger Goodell and the NFL threw flags against the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins March 12 for overspending during the uncapped 2010 campaign. With free agency beginning March 13, a cut in both teams' salary cap space is going to leave a mark.
I read Tweets and articles after the news came out about the Cowboys and Skins penalties and opinions were largely on the side of, "How can they penalize a team for overspending during an uncapped year?" Apparently there was some sort of back-room agreement when the former collective bargaining agreement expired to help keep spending under some sort of control.
If that's the case, my question isn't about the validity of the arrangement that was made. The real question is why Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Skins owner Daniel Snyder either didn't know about the deal or ignored it. Both are high-powered men who play prominently in owners' meetings annually. I wasn't a fly-on-the-wall during the discussions, but I'm guessing Jones and Snyder, at some point, put their stamp of approval on the plan.
The majority of people are appalled that Goodell and the NFL would do this on the eve of free agency. Many have asked about an appeal process the teams could go through to recoup the cap space they are losing. Others have suggested getting the NFL Players Association involved. Not sure how that one would work since it's not a player-specific issue, rather it has to do with hindering a team's ability to improve through free agency.
Regardless of what type of action, if any, is available, these two owners had to have known about the agreement. After all, it was other owners who decided that the maneuvering by Jones and Snyder broke the initial agreement. All football fingers - regardless of which one you are waving around - should turn from the NFL and go to the owners.
Do I agree with the decision by the NFL? No. But, when some sort of accord is met, whether it's publicly or in the men's restroom, it should be upheld. Plain. And. Simple.
Now, the fan base is wondering what the hell happened and how the team is going to be able to address glaring needs in free agency now that they are losing $5 million this year ($10 million total) because of this gaffe. There were hopes of signing a defensive back, offensive lineman and potentially someone on the defensive front seven so they could draft the best player available when Dallas selects the 14th player in this year's draft. I'm sure they will still make a couple moves, but the dynamics of how much they can spend now has changed who they chase.
The NFL wasn't at fault for levying the punishment. Jones and Snyder own this one for knowing.
John Ingle is a graduate of the Midwestern State University Mass Communication program with an emphasis in journalism. He is a life-long Dallas Cowboys and football fan dating back to the late 1970s and has had covered the Cowboys as a journalism intern during two training camps at MSU. Follow him on Twitter @inglejohn1973.
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