Dallas Cowboys Waiting To Pounce On Brandon Carr If Chiefs Release Him

The Kansas City Chiefs have a major decision to make on Brandon Carr even though they've already signed a potential replacement in Stanford Routt. The 25-year-old cornerback has been the Chiefs starting cornerback for the last four seasons opposite Brandon Flowers and he's a high-caliber performer who the team would definitely miss no matter who else they brought in. Even after signing Routt, the team has publicly stated a few times that they want Carr back and that one signing doesn't affect another. But that hasn't stopped teams from circling all the same.

That's because the Chiefs have a choice to make. With one franchise tag, the team must either select Dwayne Bowe or Brandon Carr as the recipient to stay in KC for certain in 2012 unless they can strike a long-term deal with one and franchise the other. So far there's been no outward movement or rumors that the team will reach a long-term deal with either, and Carr is assumed to be the one to go. The Dallas Cowboys certainly hope that's the case.

A report at NFL.com reads, "A day after Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said his team's defense lacks talent, a report surfaced about how the team might go about fixing the problem. ESPN Dallas, not citing sources, said the Cowboys will target veteran cornerbacks Brandon Carr of the Kansas City Chiefs and Cortland Finnegan of the Tennessee Titans when free agency begins on March 13."

Finnegan is considered another top cornerback option on the market, although Carr is the cream of the crop. The Titans have already made it clear that Finnegan will be available, so the Cowboys know they have at least one on their radar, but it's likely they will wait to pounce on Carr if available. Then again, the teams of the NFC North have all been linked to Carr besides the Packers. Carr's hometown near Detroit certainly makes that an intriguing match-up.

However, the Chiefs have to decide what they are doing first. If they bring back Carr, the secondary will be a very expensive group but one ready to play at a high level in the today's pass happy NFL.