IRVING, Texas (AP) -Marcus Spears has plenty reasons to be angry with the Dallas Cowboys.
They’re paying a backup defensive lineman more than they’re paying him to be a starter. Actually, two backups. And there’s talk of him becoming one of their backups – or of him getting cut if he gets beat out.
So when you hear that Spears missed two of the first five organized team activities this offseason, it’s easy to think he was pouting.
Nope. He was just meeting other obligations.
Spears went to a graduation in Louisiana last week and was called for jury duty this week. At his locker Monday, Spears was his usual, jovial self, making it clear those were excused absences. He even brought his jury summons as proof.
“I can’t boycott my guys,” he said, smiling. “I can gripe about the situation, but at the end of the day, I pay my bills from this place. That’s the attitude I’ve got to keep.”
A first-round pick in 1995, Spears has been a starter nearly his entire career. He plays left end in Dallas’ 3-4 alignment, and his role is mostly to clog up linemen on first and second downs so linebackers can make plays.
His job description doesn’t lend itself to many statistics. But the Cowboys were fourth-best against the run last season, and he takes pride in being part of that.
The Dallas front office apparently doesn’t think he was all that vital of a piece. Because when his contract ran out last season, making him a restricted free agent, his tender offer was an “original draft choice” rate of $1.2 million. It also meant the team was willing to take a second-round pick as compensation if anyone else wanted him.
Meanwhile, the club put second-round tenders on Jason Hatcher and Stephen Bowen. Their salaries are each over $500,000 more than Spears will make.
Spears wounded up re-signing – and realizing the ramifications. The Cowboys don’t see him as part of their long-term plans, so he’s liable to be cut or traded at any time, especially if Hatcher or Bowen persuade coaches they deserve more playing time.
wo kids and a wife, there’s concern about it.”
Leaving would be tough because this is the only locker room he’s known. He’s been through ups and downs over his five seasons, and this seems like an up-cycle, coming off their playoff win since 1996 and with the Super Bowl in their home stadium this season.
So salary stuff aside, this is where he wants to be. That’s why he is showing up for as many voluntary OTA sessions as he can, unlike receiver Patrick Crayton, who wants out now following the drafting of Dez Bryant in the first round.
“I’ve always played this game since high school for the guys around me,” Spears said. “I’ve never paid much attention to outside influences. That D-line room is the most important thing to me. I want those guys to know I’ll be accountable, and I do that by being here. Patrick’s doing something different and that’s his approach.
“I’m here, I’m playing, I’m getting ready for the season like I always have, that’s my approach,” Spears said. “I’m coming to work, trying to continue to get better. At the end of the day, this is how I feed my family, so whether it be here or somewhere else, I’ve got to get better at this game.”
Improvement is always the answer. It could mean job security and, perhaps, a raise.
“It helps that he’s out here,” said coach Wade Phillips, who also oversees Spears’ role as the defensive coordinator. “We’ve identified some things technique-wise that he can do better and he’s been working on those things. I think we can get him better, and he’s the type of guy that’ll work at it. I think that helps both of us, short-term and long-term – and business-wise. The better player you are, the better you end up business-wise.”
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