Cowboys WR Austin signed RFA tender offer

The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin gave up his efforts to ask for more money from the team on Friday and signed the $3.168 million contract tender to stay with the Cowboys as the team threatened to reduce the salary offer to $1.65 million if Austin refused to sign the tender.

It was reasonable for Austin to ask a salary raise as he had impressive performance in 2009 season. Catching 81 passes for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season, Austin also broke Bob Hayes’ single-game record with 250 receiving yards while playing against the Kansas City Chiefs. In that single game, Austin also caught 10 passes and had two touchdowns. Previously only a third-line player, Austin took the chance to start at wide receiver when Roy Williams was absent. His performance soon overcame the coaches and quarterbacks and he became the major target when starting quarterback was passing the ball.

However, the Cowboys seem not ready to revalue Austin and would like to observe him for a longer period before giving him a starter’s contract. They could have compared Austin to another wide receiver of the Minnesota Vikings, Percy Harvin, who was a rookie in 2009 season and also a starting quarterback’s favorite wide receiver. While Harvin is low-profile even if he is going to play more important role once Brett Favre decides to wear back his Vikings jersey, Austin is comparatively overrating himself and needs another season of test.

Michael Irvin has private contacts with Dez Bryant

After the well-known meeting during the Dallas Cowboys’ rookie camp, former and current No.88 wearers, Michael Irvin and Dez Bryant re-met publicly only in reports. However, according to someone who witnessed the scene, Irvin actually invited Bryant to his house for private conversation for several times.

Since Dez was given the number 88 that was previously on Michael Irvin jersey during the 1990s, there has been a lot of comparison on the two receivers. And after a brief visit to the Cowboys rookie camp, Irvin seemed to have a great impression on the rookie receiver. Irvin had his first conversation with Bryant during the camp and later told reporters that Bryant was a humble man with great potentials and he wished the rookie to be an even better wide receiver than he was.

According to the source, a few days later Bryant received a call from Irvin, who invited him for a dinner. With respects to the former legendary receiver, Bryant happily accepted the invitation and visited Irvin on a Saturday night. The second conversation seemed to help set up a solid friendship between the Pro football Hall of Famer and Cowboys rookie receiver, and more invitations were made by one of them to the other since then.