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Updated: June 15, 2011, 11:46 AM
Free Agent Watch
Burress Will Attract Teams, Attention
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email | Follow nickeatman on Twitter
Plaxico Burress has 505 career catches and 55 touchdowns in his nine-year career.
(Editor's Note: With NFL free agency still to come, the Cowboys' roster remains very much unfinished. In this summer series, DallasCowboys.com takes a look at a number of veterans who could wind up in Dallas before the season begins. Today's featured player is former Giants receiver Plaxico Burress.)
Name: Plaxico Burress
Position: Wide Receiver
College: Michigan State
Height/Weight: 6-5/231
Age: 33
NFL Experience: 9 seasons
Availability: Released from prison after a two-year sentence for illegally carrying a handgun, Plaxico Burress will be a free agent wide receiver when the NFL's signing period begins once the lockout is lifted. Burress will be one of the wild-card additions for whatever team decides to sign him. His stock will probably be increased based on the recent success of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also served a prison sentence and was able to not only return to form, but had his best pro season in 2010. For Burress, who was released by the New York Giants on April 3, 2009, he will be 34 years of age once the 2011 season begins.
What He Brings: Attention for one. Whatever team signs Burress, for probably just a one-year contract, will undoubtedly be ready for the national attention it will cause. The Eagles were prepared for it with the Vick signing. Obviously, if the Cowboys went this direction, Burress wouldn't be the first player to bring national attention with him. In fact, Dallas would certainly be used to it. On the field, it's difficult to project what type of player Burress will be when he returns after a two-year layoff from the league. If he comes back anything close to his old self, Burress is a huge target that is considered more than just a possession receiver. He's a jump-ball wideout that can be a threat around the goal line and red zone. But for any team he joins, it's likely Burress would be no better than the No. 3 receiver to start out, with the ability to improve as the season goes on.
Connections: With a player in the NFC East, especially one who has been so scrutinized over the years, Burress is no stranger to the Cowboys. They know exactly the type of player he has been, although it's anyone's guess to what he might be like this time around.
Where Would He Fit: As it stands right now, Burress really doesn't fit with the Cowboys, who have Miles Austin and Dez Bryant as their current and future wide receivers. Currently, Roy Williams is in the mix and there's a good chance he remains with the Cowboys in 2011. If that happens, adding another receiver who doesn't play special teams won't make a lot of sense. If the Cowboys decide to part ways with Williams because of his contract, then it might open up some room on the depth chart. With that scenario, then a one-year deal for Burress to try to get his life and career turned around wouldn't be completely unrealistic, considering Jerry Jones' history of giving second chances. Now, things might have changed a little with Jason Garrett running the team, but if there is a need for a playmaking receiver at No. 3, Burress could be a good fit. Still, it doesn't seem to be a likely scenario for the Cowboys.
Free Agent Watch
Burress Will Attract Teams, Attention
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Email | Follow nickeatman on Twitter
Plaxico Burress has 505 career catches and 55 touchdowns in his nine-year career.
(Editor's Note: With NFL free agency still to come, the Cowboys' roster remains very much unfinished. In this summer series, DallasCowboys.com takes a look at a number of veterans who could wind up in Dallas before the season begins. Today's featured player is former Giants receiver Plaxico Burress.)
Name: Plaxico Burress
Position: Wide Receiver
College: Michigan State
Height/Weight: 6-5/231
Age: 33
NFL Experience: 9 seasons
Availability: Released from prison after a two-year sentence for illegally carrying a handgun, Plaxico Burress will be a free agent wide receiver when the NFL's signing period begins once the lockout is lifted. Burress will be one of the wild-card additions for whatever team decides to sign him. His stock will probably be increased based on the recent success of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who also served a prison sentence and was able to not only return to form, but had his best pro season in 2010. For Burress, who was released by the New York Giants on April 3, 2009, he will be 34 years of age once the 2011 season begins.
What He Brings: Attention for one. Whatever team signs Burress, for probably just a one-year contract, will undoubtedly be ready for the national attention it will cause. The Eagles were prepared for it with the Vick signing. Obviously, if the Cowboys went this direction, Burress wouldn't be the first player to bring national attention with him. In fact, Dallas would certainly be used to it. On the field, it's difficult to project what type of player Burress will be when he returns after a two-year layoff from the league. If he comes back anything close to his old self, Burress is a huge target that is considered more than just a possession receiver. He's a jump-ball wideout that can be a threat around the goal line and red zone. But for any team he joins, it's likely Burress would be no better than the No. 3 receiver to start out, with the ability to improve as the season goes on.
Connections: With a player in the NFC East, especially one who has been so scrutinized over the years, Burress is no stranger to the Cowboys. They know exactly the type of player he has been, although it's anyone's guess to what he might be like this time around.
Where Would He Fit: As it stands right now, Burress really doesn't fit with the Cowboys, who have Miles Austin and Dez Bryant as their current and future wide receivers. Currently, Roy Williams is in the mix and there's a good chance he remains with the Cowboys in 2011. If that happens, adding another receiver who doesn't play special teams won't make a lot of sense. If the Cowboys decide to part ways with Williams because of his contract, then it might open up some room on the depth chart. With that scenario, then a one-year deal for Burress to try to get his life and career turned around wouldn't be completely unrealistic, considering Jerry Jones' history of giving second chances. Now, things might have changed a little with Jason Garrett running the team, but if there is a need for a playmaking receiver at No. 3, Burress could be a good fit. Still, it doesn't seem to be a likely scenario for the Cowboys.