Saturday, February 28, 1998

Cowboys give Billy Davis two-year deal

By Josie Karp / Knight Ridder Newspapers

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys' roster under new coach Chan Gailey is starting to take shape. Restricted free-agent wide receiver Billy Davis was re-signed to what is essentially a two-year deal, the Cowboys announced on Friday.

They also announced that cornerback Kevin Smith has signed a four-year contract extension.

In the past two days, the Cowboys have signed free-agent wide receiver Ernie Mills and Davis, bringing to five the number of receivers under contract. Also under contract are receivers Michael Irvin, Stepfret Williams and Macey Brooks.

A former wide receivers coach, Gailey places a premium on receivers, and the team might be set at the position. In Mills, they have a veteran who knows the system Gailey established in Pittsburgh, and in Davis they have a versatile player who excels on special teams.

Last year, Davis, who signed with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1995, caught three passes for 33 yards and made 20 special-teams tackles.

Davis' contract is for two years with an option for a third year. He received a signing bonus of approximately $1 million. The total value of the contract is approximately $2 million.

The recent signings, team vice president Stephen Jones said, "give us some more flexibility. We can look at some other areas that need to be addressed."

Although Smith's contract extension slightly reduces his salary-cap impact for the 1998 season, team owner Jerry Jones was adamant the four-year extension had more to do with keeping Smith a Cowboy through the 2003 season than saving money.

"It was a long-term investment on our part," Jones said. "This was not salary-cap related. We wanted to plan ahead."

Under the terms of Smith's most recent contract, a restructuring completed last season, Smith was signed through the 1999 season. But the Cowboys had an option for four more years if they paid Smith a $4.7 million bonus before the start of the 1998 season.

BRIEFLY

Free-agent defensive end Anthony Pleasant visited the Cowboys on Friday. The Cowboys signed free-agent tight end Sean Simms.

Stephen Jones said the Cowboys are interested in retaining restricted free-agent tight end Eric Bjornson, whom the team made a qualifying offer to before the start of the free-agent signing period. Bjornson recently switched agents, retaining the services of Leigh Steinberg, who also represents Cowboys players Troy Aikman, Darren Woodson and Daryl Johnston.

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(c) 1998, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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