Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan received criticism following a 21-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9 after saying that the Redskins would have a chance to evaluate players for the remainder of the season.
Some assumed Shanahan was suggesting that the season was over for a Washington team that dropped to 3-6. The Redskins have won their last two, pulling even with the Dallas Cowboys at 5-6.
Following a 38-31 Thanksgiving Day loss to the Redskins, the Cowboys front office began talking like Shanahan did three weeks earlier.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones have both recently made comments about player evaluation during interviews on the team's flagship radio station 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM].
Jerry Jones said Monday that the time has come to "evaluate your core as far as seasons to come."
Stephen Jones agreed with his father when he was asked Wednesday about evaluating the Cowboys core.
"I think so," Stephen Jones said. "Anytime you go through a season you have to evaluate what type of season they had. With each player there's significant money attached, especially to your core group of guys. And if they're not playing to their money than you certainly have to take a look at it because we're one of those teams that, to be real candid with you, we're up against the cap next year, I mean up against it tight.
"We certainly can't afford to overlook mediocrity if a player's had a mediocre season but he's being paid to have a great season. Those things have to be addressed. We'll certainly continue to look at that. I wouldn't say underachieving is a lack of effort. I think everybody is playing hard. The question just becomes: Can they still play the way they were playing a year ago, two years ago? Those are things that we have to take a look at."
Curious about who some of the highest paid Cowboys will be next season? Here's a list of the team's top 15 salaries for 2013, according to Spotrac.com.
1.) Brandon Carr – $14.3 million.
2.) Tony Romo – $11.5 million.
3.) Doug Free – $7 million.
4.) Miles Austin – $6.7 million.
5.) Jason Witten – $5.5 million.
6.) DeMarcus Ware – $5.5 million.
7.) Jay Ratliff – $5 million.
8.) Gerald Sensabaugh – $3 million.
9.) Dan Connor – $3 million.
10.) Orlando Scandrick – $2 million.
11.) Jason Hatcher – $2 million.
12.) Marcus Spears – $2 million.
13.) Mackenzy Bernadeau – $1.75 million.
14.) Nate Livings – $1.7 million.
15.) Dez Bryant – $1.5 million.
Those figures don't reflect the cap hit that each player will have. For example, Carr's cap hit is $16.3 million and Bryant's is $3.8 million. Here's a list of the top 10.
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