Money, money, and more money.......



Deal gives Davis fresh start, largest bonus in Cowboys history

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
March 5, 2007

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Leonard Davis got exactly what he wanted by signing with the Dallas Cowboys.

It was more than just the money: a seven-year contract worth nearly $50 million. It was a return home after six disappointing seasons in Arizona, where the 6-foot-6, 372-pound offensive lineman never became the dominating Pro Bowl-level player so many envisioned after he was the No. 2 pick out of Texas in 2001.

"I felt like I did everything that I could possibly do. ... Sometimes expectations can be unrealistic," Davis said. "I'm excited just to know that something new is coming up. It will be a challenge, but I'm all about challenges."

The deal with the Cowboys includes $18.75 million in guaranteed money, a team-record $16 million signing bonus and a $2.75 million salary for 2007. Davis became an unrestricted free agent when Arizona decided not to name him a franchise or transition player.

Davis played guard and tackle while starting all 91 of his games in Arizona. Where he plays for the Cowboys depends on whether they re-sign right tackle Marc Colombo and the future of right guard Marco Rivera, who just had surgery on his back for the second time in less than three years.

"We understand what he is as an offensive lineman. There's nothing in my mind at all unknown about what he is as a player," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "We can talk about expectations all we want to. What he's done is the kind of play at any of those positions that will get it done for us, or we wouldn't be making the commitment."

The Cowboys also re-signed kicker Martin Gramatica, who came to Dallas after Mike Vanderjagt was released in November, to a two-year deal. Gramatica was part of the 2002 Tampa Bay team that won the Super Bowl.

Brad Johnson, the quarterback for Tampa Bay in 2002 and a 15-season veteran with three teams, signed a three-year contract with Dallas, his agent, Phil Williams said Monday night. The Cowboys didn't confirm that signing.

The 28-year-old Davis visited with Washington, and the New York Giants were interested.

"The decision when it came down to it was not about the money. It was about where I really wanted to live my life," Davis said.

Davis is from Wortham, Texas, about 80 miles south of Dallas. Being close to home will provide the opportunity for his 84-year-old father to see him play in person and for Davis to play for the team he grew up watching.

"It's a new chapter in my life," he said. "I want to win games, which obviously I haven't been able to do in this part of my career. Right now, all I can do is look forward to being successful. ... I want to be able to have some respect, earn respect."

Davis' signing bonus surpasses the $13 million the Cowboys gave Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, defensive back Deion Sanders and former perennial Pro Bowl guard Larry Allen.

The deal came days after free agent linemen Eric Steinbach (Cleveland Browns) and Derrick Dockery (Buffalo Bills) got similar seven-year deals that included $17 million to $18.5 million in guaranteed money.

While Davis was being introduced to the media, quarterback Tony Romo came in to greet his new protector.

"I just know that he's a good player. We definitely got someone that gets me excited," Romo said. "Anytime you can get a guy to protect you up front, it's a huge addition."

The Cowboys are still hopeful of re-signing Colombo, and Jones said the signing of Davis "doesn't preclude" that. The Cowboys already re-signed center Andre Gurode to a $30 million, six-year deal with $10 million guaranteed.

Jones said the offensive line was a priority this offseason. "We've missed on a couple of our picks the last three or four years," Jones said. "(Davis) gives us a chance to really play catch-up and really get back to where, arguably, if we had gotten a little better results on our draft there on a couple of picks, we would be."

That's crazy. Just nuts. A sixteen million dollar bonus? This kind of thing is insanity.

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