IRVING, Texas -- Let's start the Adrian Peterson talk. Or not.
The Dallas Cowboys did not want to pay DeMarco Murray close to the guaranteed money the running back will get from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Peterson is scheduled to make $12.75 million in 2015, $14.75 million in 2016 and $15.75 million in 2017.
So the Cowboys are going to pay that kind of money for an older -- and, yes, more talented -- running back?
If the Cowboys want to trade for Peterson, they would have to give too many draft picks away and pay him. If the Vikings end up cutting him, then he won’t come for free.
Is it impossible? No.
But in saying no to Murray, the Cowboys have put their belief in the offensive line. Why would they pay a running back more than what they wanted to pay Murray behind that offensive line?
There are exceptions to every rule and maybe the Cowboys would look at Peterson as that exception. The word as of today is no. Could that change to "maybe" in a couple of weeks and "yes" in a month? It could.
These are not the Cowboys everybody remembers. These Cowboys are about fiscal responsibility and developing players via the draft while supplementing the roster with low-level, but key, free agents.
It worked well for them in 2014, going 12-4 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
We’ll see if the formula works again.
