Michael Irvin not sold on letting DeMarco Murray walk

By Ethan Finkelstein | Mar 15, 2015

Jan 21, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Team Irvin alumni captain Michael Irvin talks during the Pro Bowl Draft at The Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Michael Irvin believes his former team made a mistake in letting DeMarco Murray leave in free agency.

DeMarco Murray is no longer a member of the Dallas Cowboys. That is something former wide receiver and current Hall of Famer Michael Irvin believes is a huge mistake. According to the NFL legend, the franchise’s decision to let their all-pro running back leave in free agency for the Philadelphia Eagles will come back to haunt them.

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Irvin is worried about many things. The first would appear to be the obvious.

What will the product look like on the field without arguably the game’s best rusher in the backfield?

In 2014, Murray ran for a Cowboys franchise record 1,845 yards, while tallying 13 touchdowns on the ground. For his efforts, which included an NFL record eight straight 100 yard games to start the season, he was awarded the Associated Press’s Offensive Player of the Year.

The next concern deals with the undertones of passing on a larger contract negotiation with their star tailback. Being unable to financially satisfy one of the club’s most important players can make fellow teammates question where their motivational levels should really stand.

“I don’t care if you pay him a little more than you wanted to. I think that’s not a bad thing; that’s a good thing because it send a better message to the locker room. You perform; you will get taken care of. I’m a little worried about the residual of this message that they’re sending,” said the hall of famer.

It will be interesting to see how Murray performs next season. His offensive line will not be as talented as the one he is leaving back in Dallas. And with a team whose quarterback throws considerably less efficiently than Tony Romo, Murray might be asked to carry even more of the load next year.

Regardless, the acquisition still improves Chip Kelly’s squad overall. As for Jason Garrett and crew, Adrian Peterson could be a possible future replacement; even if Irvin remains skeptical on the matter.

“How do I know that Adrian Peterson and Dez Bryant are going to get along? How do I know these things. I don’t,” said Irvin.

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