Another NFL Trade?

[DBAHO]

Between Dallas and New Orleans;

 

Sources: Cowboys may deal Nguyen to Saints for DE

 

By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

 

IRVING – The Cowboys, who have not had a defensive end with double-digit sacks in nearly a decade, are in serious negotiations with New Orleans to acquire defensive end Darren Howard, two sources said Friday night.

 

The sources said the Cowboys are considering trading middle linebacker Dat Nguyen and a second-round pick in April's draft to New Orleans for Howard.

 

Howard (6-3, 275 pounds), a five-year veteran from Kansas State, had 11 sacks last season and 41 in his career. The former second-round pick had 11 sacks as a rookie.

 

He is currently involved in a salary dispute with the Saints, who have placed the franchise tag on him, meaning his salary is equal to the average of the five highest-paid defensive ends. If he doesn't sign the contract by 3 p.m. Monday, he and the Saints can't negotiate a long-term deal that would help the Saints lower his salary-cap figure in 2005 and provide him with the long-term security that he desires.

 

The Saints also franchised Howard last season.

 

A source close to Howard said he has not yet entered serious contract negotiations with the Cowboys, but the sides have an idea of the parameters for working out an agreement.

 

Howard's name first surfaced in trade talk three days ago at the club's Valley Ranch training complex, but the talks didn't gain momentum until Friday, according to two sources.

 

Jeff Ireland, who's running the Cowboys' pro and college scouting department, called SMU coach Phil Bennett last week to inquire about Howard. Bennett was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State when Howard played there.

 

Injuries have hampered Howard the past two seasons.

 

He missed eight games with a broken wrist in 2003 and missed three games last season with an assortment of neck and knee injuries.

 

Nguyen, who is signed through 2007 with Dallas, is one of the club's most productive players.

 

The six-year veteran had a team-high 135 tackles with three interceptions and three pass deflections this season.

 

But he also fits into the category of a small linebacker at 5-11, 238 pounds. The Cowboys waived 5-10, 231-pound linebacker Dexter Coakley last week. Coach Bill Parcells wants bigger, more physical players like 6-2, 245-pound Bradie James at linebacker.

 

Dallas still has the 11th and 20th picks in the first round and could take a play-making linebacker like Maryland's Shawne Merriman or Texas' Derrick Johnson with its first pick. Then Dallas could trade its second first-round pick to acquire additional choices.

 

Dallas used its third-round pick to acquire Drew Henson last spring.

 

If the Cowboys acquire Howard, who will turn 29 in November, it would be an indication that Parcells wants to use the 4-3 as his base defense this season because Howard would be considered an undersized defensive end in the 3-4.

 

Howard and Greg Ellis would be the defensive ends, and La'Roi Glover and Jason Ferguson, signed to a five-year, $21.5 million deal last week, would be the defensive tackles.

 

They would form Dallas' best defensive line since the early '90s, when the Cowboys were one of the elite teams in football.

 

They would also have three defensive linemen capable of beating one-on-one blocking in pass-rushing situations, something the Cowboys haven't had in several years. Tony Tolbert had 12 sacks in 1996, the last time the Cowboys had a player with at least 10.

 

Surrounded by other outstanding pass-rushers when he played in New Orleans, Glover once had 17 sacks in 2000 and 50 in five seasons with the Saints.

[Goober]

Between Dallas and New Orleans;

 

would really really need to get johnson or merriman then, the latter more likely