Dallas Cowboys release Marcellus Wiley

By Hugo Guzman  |   Wednesday, February 23, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

Dallas Cowboys
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IRVING, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys cut defensive end Marcellus Wiley on Tuesday, just one season after he was their top free-agent signee. The move was widely expected and the team wasted no time doing it, as Tuesday was the first day Dallas could. Also released was center Gennaro DiNapoli, who spent all of last year on the physically unable to perform list with a stress fracture in his right leg.

The Cowboys gave Wiley a $16 million, four-year contract last March because they expected him to regain the form that produced 13 sacks in 2001. But he had just three, none in the first 10 games. The team soured on him so much that he was often benched in obvious passing situations.

Wiley eventually complained that he wasn't put in the right situations, saying the team didn't use him as promised. He called it the worst season of his eight-year career, which includes four years in Buffalo and three in San Diego.

Because Wiley had a $4.5 million signing bonus, he'll still count $3,375,000 toward this season's cap, nearly the same as if he'd stayed. He also was due a $500,000 bonus if he was on the roster March 2.

The Cowboys have several other players who might be released, especially if the team changes defenses. That includes longtime LB Dexter Coakley, who is considered too small for the 3-4 defense and is due a $502,000 roster bonus on March 2.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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