Dallas Cowboys running back Julius Jones
Posted on 03/11/2008 9:57:20 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)—Now that the Seattle Seahawks have signed Julius Jones, Shaun Alexander wants to know what’s going on.
The four-time defending NFC West champions announced Monday they had signed Jones, the deposed starting running back in Dallas, to a multiyear contract. Terms were not released, but it is reportedly a four-year deal.
Jones’ arrival is further proof coach Mike Holmgren wasn’t just appeasing the fan base when he said fixing Seattle’s anemic running game was a priority for 2008. Seattle averaged just 4.0 yards per carry in 2006 and 3.8 last season.
It is also the second running back Seattle has signed in the last week, after T.J. Duckett. Two reasons for Alexander to worry.
Jim Steiner, the agent for the 2005 league MVP, told The Associated Press on Monday evening that he will meet with Seahawks executives about what future—if any—Alexander has in Seattle.
“We’re going to have some discussions with the Seahawks in the next few days,” Steiner said in telephone interview. “It will be about the running back situation there.”
| ADVERTISEMENT |
Steiner declined to comment whether the Seahawks have asked Alexander to restructure the $62 million, eight-year contract he signed before the 2006 season. That was weeks after he set a then-NFL record with 28 touchdowns and a franchise record of 1,880 yards rushing.
Alexander, 30, is scheduled to earn $4,475,000 in 2008. He has received $18.8 million in base salary so far on his contract, which Steiner at the time said was the richest ever for an NFL running back. Alexander has also received about $13.5 million guarantees through signing and other bonuses.
Alexander has had two injury-filled and ineffective seasons since signing his deal, including last season in which he ran for just 716 yards in 13 games. That was his lowest total since he replaced Ricky Watters as Seattle’s lead back in 2001. So his trade value is lower than ever.
There appears to be no place for Alexander with the Seahawks, in their backfield or on their payroll.
They are reportedly due to pay $5.5 million to Jones in ‘08 as part of a new $16 million contract. Duckett, who signed a five-year deal, and Maurice Morris are scheduled to get $1 million each. And Seattle still has two other running backs, Leonard Weaver and David Kirtman.
Duckett’s signing was thought to potentially be a complement to Alexander to help Seattle mostly in short-yardage situations the Seahawks’ have struggled with the last two seasons. But Jones’ deal appears to be an indictment of Alexander.
Jones, who will turn 27 in August when Alexander turns 31, spent his first four seasons in Dallas. In 2006, he had the only 1,000-yard season of his career, when he rushed for 1,084 yards and four touchdowns. Last season, Marion Barber became a Cowboys Pro Bowler while supplanting Jones, who rushed for only 588 yards and two touchdowns, the lowest numbers of his career.
Jones is capable pass catcher, with 35 receptions in 2005 and 23 last season. Alexander’s pass catching has been a liability, even before he wore a cast on a broken wrist throughout the ‘07 season.
Seattle has dedicated this offseason to remodeling its running game, hiring former Kansas City offensive coordinator Mike Solari as offensive line coach and signing former Pro Bowl offensive guard Mike Wahle.
The end of the Shaun Alexander era may be next.
Dallas Cowboys running back Julius Jones
Get rid of Alexander
Before his “MVP” season we called him “Scooch” ‘cuz everytime a defender got around him seemed he’d just sit down.
8^)
JJ's performance was frustrating in 2007, he softened the defense for a while until MB3 came in with fresh legs and hammered the big plays.
Rotation offense. Fresh legs for each play. Establish a true running game and then open up the pass, and any of the three can catch coming out of the backfield.
He reverted to that Scooch form these last two years.
Jones won’t revive anything except how to step out of bounds rather than get that last couple of yards.
Send him to the Stillers - he and Fast Willie would make a good team.
That’s former Cowboys’ running back, Julius Jones.
I think Dallas is going to go all out to get McFadden.
Alexander isn’t much of a reciever, out of the backfield or otherwise. Also, he does too much East/West stuff for Holmgren’s taste. Without Hutchinson run-blocking with Walter Jones, Shaun just isn’t the same.
The nagging injuries haven’t helped either...JFK
The Arkansas connection. I think you’re right.
Running backs tend to have a pretty short career, and when they start to fall off it's often dramatic. They can't make that one break as quickly as they used to, they can't quite hit their top speed as quickly, and all of a sudden the holes they used to slip through start closing around them.
But if Alexander really "wants to know what’s up," the answer seems obvious:
Alexander has had two injury-filled and ineffective seasons since signing his deal, including last season in which he ran for just 716 yards in 13 games.
After two bad seasons in a row, he'll have to start fighting for his job. It's a results-oriented business.
Seahawks and M’s superfan here,,,
His production is WAY down and it just kills me how many times the last 2 seasons he should’ve scored and he simply did not.
Unlike fairweather Seattle fans (or bandwagon) fans who cheered him in 2005, yet by sheer HYPOCRISY jumped off the bandwagon when he didn’t score at the red zone, I should thank SA for his contribution to the Super Bowl run 3 years back.
Now is the time to say goodbye to an old friend. With the Hawks’ talked about drafting the Oregon RB in the draft, SA is pretty much finished.
I disagree, I think McFadden is going to be a stud, just like Adrian Peterson.
well it aint his rushing yards. tee hee
He could be a stud, but at what price? Barber is a fine back already, and they’d only need someone to split carries if they kept him. But to trade up to get McFadden (which is what we’d have to do) would take away the ability to get young talent at WR and CB early in the draft, both of which are truly needs, not to mention the hit that they’d take in the salary cap. Throw in the fact that this RB class is very deep, and I think that the Cowboys’ best bet would be to hold off and take either a Felix Jones or Jamaal Charles.
I think the playoff game against the Giants exposed him a bit. He's a nice back in the second half, when he's used sparingly in the first half. But it seems to be he isn't a guy who isn't going to be effective for all four quarters.
Same as here as well, & I couldn't have put it better...
8^)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.