If you wanted a little indication that Ray Lewis will not be joining the Dallas Cowboys next season, this might be it. Jerry Jones and the 'Boys have agreed to a three-year deal with former Falcons linebacker Keith Brooking, who will help out a Cowboys defense that gave up 77 points in the two "must-win" games at the end of the '08 season to miss the playoffs.
Talk had been heating up that Dallas wanted Ray and Ray wanted Dallas, but this has to be a move in the direction of leaving Lewis in Baltimore.
Brooking was productive last season for Atlanta, leading the team in tackles with 102 that helped take the Falcons to the playoffs after a 4-12 season the year before.
As a Cowboys fan, it would have been nice to get Ray on the squad, just because he seems like the type that could help a group of guys that seemed lost this past season after such high expectations, but Brooking will help. The amount Dallas plans to pay him isn't available yet but it has to be substantially less than Lewis would have asked for and you're getting a guy that had just 15 less tackles.
He might be be the presence or the face fans might have wanted, but Dallas has enough of those guys and will be benefited by a veteran on the defensive side.
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LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Mo Williams #2 takes a shoe to the face by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a steal in the closing seconds of the first half at The Quicken Loans Arena on February 8, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images)
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Brazil's Diogo (L) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Hernan Perez during their U-20 South American Championship football match in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela on February 8, 2009.(Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images )
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A Dalmatian looks at its handler as a judge goes to touch the dog during the first day of the 2009 Westminster Dog Show in New York February 9, 2009.(Lucas Jackson, Reuters)
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Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson touches his head during a time out in the first half of their NBA basketball game with the New Jersey Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey February 7, 2009. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)
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Margarita Marbler, of Austria, skis to a bronze medal finish the ladies moguls freestyle FIS World Cupskiing qualification at Cypress mountain in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. (Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP)
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West Virginia guard Darryl Bryant (25) is fouled by Providence guard Jeff Xavier (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Morgantown, W.Va. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. West Virginia won 86-59. (Don Wright, AP)
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Missouri's DeMarre Carroll, top, celebrates the Tigers' 62-60 win over Kansas in Columbia, Missouri, Monday, February 9, 2009. (Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT)
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David Clarkson #23 of the New Jersey Devils fights Erik Reitz #4 of the New York Rangers during their game on February 9, 2009 at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (Al Bello, Getty Images)
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Driver Patrick Sheltra (60) begins to spin coming out of the fourth turn during the ARCA 200 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.
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Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives serves the ball, in this multiple exposure, to Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic during their Fed Cup tennis match in Brno February 7, 2009.
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Thank God Atlanta got rid of him. He is an undersized, slow linebacker that does not make good decisions. Watched alot of games being in A-town and Dallas is not getting the help they think
U happy Atlanta got rid of Broking because he's undersized,slow,and don't make good decisions.He led the team in tackles(102)last year.So what does that say about the rest of the defense?
They should replace everyone but Barber, Witten, Choice and Ware.
My whole team is a squad of stupid-ass individuals who think they're more important than the team.
can they trade jerry jones?
this is music to my Burgundy and Gold Ears...Tony Romo, Meet Albert Hanesworth
yeah albert welcome to the nfc east....where you'll be last in the division.
I think that this is a bad move. I like Brooking as a person, but he used to make tackles downfield, after the running back had already gotten by him 10-15 yards "downfield". He's too slow to handle the current backs. Good Luck, but I think it was a bad decision.
Im a skins fan but I do respect the NFC east as a whole...Brookings is a definite upgrade, but I really think that its not gonna matter. The Cowboys are a constant overatted team.
The cowboys are not (overatted}what this is ! I do agree that they are still better than the deadskins !
Jerry Jones has not made a good decision in a decade in a half and even then he had JJ helping him. I wish the NFL could force idiots like Jerry Jones out. Nothing against Brookings but if Jones wants you you are no good or a hoodlem.
i hope they signed him to back up whoever else they plan on signing, because this isn't a good move for dallas. didn't they bring in zack thomas last year? what did he do? dallas should finish last in the east. they are way overrated.
Good news Cowgirl fans, your team just got worse! If that's even possible considering the laughs you've given us the last decade, so enjoy your last place finish in 09' and beyond you overrated and over-paid hoodlums!
HTTR
As a lifelong Redskin fan, I have been very disappointed by the Daniel Snyder era. We will have to wait and see how Haynesworth pans out. Snyder should step down and find someone who knows what they are doing to run the team.
Sure pal, they've proven how good your overrated team is during crunch time. I doesn't surprise me that you're in total denial considering the sorry pro baseball, basketball and football your miserable hick town produces.