The Original Roy Williams Talks About Future With Cowboys

The lesson, I think, is this: if you're Jerry Jones, stay away from guys named Roy Williams. Roy Williams the safety -- the Cowboys' 2002 first-round pick -- missed the 2008 season with an injury but time away from the game probably did him some good, both mentally and physically.

The five-time Pro Bowler spent last offseason hearing about how the 'Boys were surely going to get rid of him because of his uselessness in pass coverage. (Hey, let go, let God.) On Sunday, Dallas' NBC 5 interviewed Williams and the embattled safety discussed his role in Wade Phillips' defensive scheme (among other things):

"I'm not playing the position I played in my first three years when Mike Zimmer was here and we ran a 4-3. OK? I got used in the defense. I don't make excuses. I don't need to make excuses. But just take my first three years and my last four years and see the difference in where I'm lined up. Yes, I'm better in a 4-3 scheme than in a 3-4 because it's gap sound."

Williams added that "I mean, I want to be a Cowboy" and that he's willing to restructure his current deal to make that happen ... as long as it makes "sense for me and my family." The Dallas Morning News' Tim MacMahon throws out a number: $1 million in base salary plus incentives.

Not entirely unreasonable until you consider this: that's what the Giants are paying MITTENS to serve as Eli Manning's backup. Williams should ask for a million and one solely on principle.