BARBER III COULD BE CHOPPED
By mark rogers
June 9, 2011
Some early reports from Dallas are claiming that Marion Barber is the most likely player to be cut from the Dallas Cowboys roster for the 2011 season.
Of course, all is still hinging on the lockout situation, but Barber is a huge weight on the salary cap (signed a 6-year extension in 2008) and hasn't had a 10-touchdown season since 2007 (he's only had two).
Despite being a fan favorite and an automatic energy creator, Barber's productivity has severely waned the last few seasons. There could be something said about his leadership skills and what he means to the locker room...but Barber is no Ray Lewis or Brett Favre when it comes to that type of thing. The guy hardly talks. He leads with his example and his helmet. Only problem is, when the example isn't that compelling, neither are the reasons to keep paying him millions.
Over the course of his career, Barber has carried 1,042 times for 4,358 yards for an average of 4.2 yards per carry ... not too shabby.
His most productive years were 2006 and 2007 when he set personal bests in TDs (14 in '06) and yards (975 in '07).
Since 2007 his rush yards have gone 885, 932, and only 374 last year...most of that time as the starter. His TDs have gone 7, 7 and 4 in that time.
Seems like getting rid of Julius Jones and giving Barber the lead dog role was the worst thing that ever happened to him.
In '07 he played all 16 games (as a backup), was named to the Pro Bowl, had career high in TDs and tied for third in the league in average yards per carry.
The next year he was highly sought after in Fantasy Football drafts, named a captain and started 12 games before dislocating his toe on Thanksgiving. He missed most of the next four games.
The next year he started 15 games...missed one due to a bruised thigh...but only scored 7 touchdowns. He hurt his knee the final game of the year and was ineffective in two playoff games.
Last year he played 13 games due to a calf injury late in the year and only carried more than 10 times in five of those games. His "high-yardage" game was 58 against Arizona.
I love me some Marion Barber, but the more I look at the numbers, the more I'm ready to let him go.
One reporter in Dallas has predicted that freshly drafted DeMarco Murray will win the starting job this year with Felix Jones coming in as the "change of pace" back.
That would be interesting.
We won't know anything until the owners and players can agree on something, but if there's anything we can all agree on, it's that Marion Barber's time in Dallas may be cut short.
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