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[h2]Linebacker led NFL in sacks last season[/h2]
Comment Email Print By Calvin Watkins
ESPNDallas.com
Archive
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are planning a late afternoon news conference Monday toannounce the signing of outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware to a six-year extensiontotaling close to $80 million, according to a source.
Ware
The deal is worth close to $13 million per season, with about $40 million guaranteed.
It's one of the richest contracts in league history for a defensive player.
******** nose tackle Albert Haynesworth has the richest deal for a defensiveplayer. He signed a seven-year, $100 million deal with $41 million guaranteed this offseason. Vikings defensive end Jared Allen signed a six-year $74.5 million deal two years ago with $34 million guaranteed.Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs signed a six-year $62.5 million contract thissummer with about $38.1 million guaranteed.
Ware and his agent, Pat Dye, who did not return a call seeking comment, have been seeking a huge money contract from the Cowboys. Ware wanted to finish hiscareer in Dallas and didn't want to be given the franchise tag, which would have prevented him from being an unrestricted free agent. He said it wouldbother him if the club had done so.
Now, with Ware in the fold long term, the Cowboys don't have to worry about him being upset over his contract.
[h4]Mosley: Cowboys get their man[/h4]
DeMarcus Ware is the rare player who can intimidate quarterbacks and then drop back and cover a running back in space. That's why everyone knew the Cowboys would eventually get him signed. Story
• More from ESPNDallas.com
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last week he was hopeful of getting an extension completed soon for Ware, the 11th overall pick in the 2005 draft who is inthe final year of the contract he signed then. There have been talks about a deal for several months.
"I've been lucky to be around a lot of good ones," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Monday regarding some of the top pass rushers he'scoached. "He's at the top of the class, and it doesn't take long to call the roll. You know that statement. He's very special that way. Buthe's an all-around player, and he plays the run well too. That's what you really like about him."
Since 2005, Ware has compiled 57½ sacks, the most by any linebacker. He had 20 sacks last season.
Ware is the fourth player in Cowboys history with three consecutive 10-sack seasons. The last Dallas player with more than Ware in a single season was Hallof Fame defensive tackle Randy White with 16 in 1978.
There was also Ware's NFL record-matching streak of 10 consecutive games with a sack (2007-0
, the longest in the NFL in 15 years -- though it is notrecognized as a Cowboys record. Harvey Martin had sacks in 11 consecutive games from 1976-77 before the NFL considered sacks an official stat.
Ware is among only six players to have 20 sacks in a seasons since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
Calvin Watkins covers the Cowboys for ESPNDallas.com. Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.
Comment Email Print By Calvin Watkins
ESPNDallas.com
Archive
IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys are planning a late afternoon news conference Monday toannounce the signing of outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware to a six-year extensiontotaling close to $80 million, according to a source.
Ware
The deal is worth close to $13 million per season, with about $40 million guaranteed.
It's one of the richest contracts in league history for a defensive player.
******** nose tackle Albert Haynesworth has the richest deal for a defensiveplayer. He signed a seven-year, $100 million deal with $41 million guaranteed this offseason. Vikings defensive end Jared Allen signed a six-year $74.5 million deal two years ago with $34 million guaranteed.Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs signed a six-year $62.5 million contract thissummer with about $38.1 million guaranteed.
Ware and his agent, Pat Dye, who did not return a call seeking comment, have been seeking a huge money contract from the Cowboys. Ware wanted to finish hiscareer in Dallas and didn't want to be given the franchise tag, which would have prevented him from being an unrestricted free agent. He said it wouldbother him if the club had done so.
Now, with Ware in the fold long term, the Cowboys don't have to worry about him being upset over his contract.
[h4]Mosley: Cowboys get their man[/h4]
DeMarcus Ware is the rare player who can intimidate quarterbacks and then drop back and cover a running back in space. That's why everyone knew the Cowboys would eventually get him signed. Story
• More from ESPNDallas.com
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said last week he was hopeful of getting an extension completed soon for Ware, the 11th overall pick in the 2005 draft who is inthe final year of the contract he signed then. There have been talks about a deal for several months.
"I've been lucky to be around a lot of good ones," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said Monday regarding some of the top pass rushers he'scoached. "He's at the top of the class, and it doesn't take long to call the roll. You know that statement. He's very special that way. Buthe's an all-around player, and he plays the run well too. That's what you really like about him."
Since 2005, Ware has compiled 57½ sacks, the most by any linebacker. He had 20 sacks last season.
Ware is the fourth player in Cowboys history with three consecutive 10-sack seasons. The last Dallas player with more than Ware in a single season was Hallof Fame defensive tackle Randy White with 16 in 1978.
There was also Ware's NFL record-matching streak of 10 consecutive games with a sack (2007-0
, the longest in the NFL in 15 years -- though it is notrecognized as a Cowboys record. Harvey Martin had sacks in 11 consecutive games from 1976-77 before the NFL considered sacks an official stat.Ware is among only six players to have 20 sacks in a seasons since sacks became an official stat in 1982.
Calvin Watkins covers the Cowboys for ESPNDallas.com. Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.
