Tuesday, February 24, 1998

Everett McIver fills right guard void; Nate Newton may lose left-side job

By Bart Hubbuch

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys signed Everett McIver as their new right guard Monday. They could soon have a new face at left guard, too.

On the same day they gave McIver a five-year, $9.5 million contract with a $3.2 million signing bonus to leave the Miami Dolphins, the Cowboys hinted strongly that 36-year-old Nate Newton's days as the starting left guard could be over.

Because of concerns about his health and weight, Newton must beat out Tony Hutson and perhaps second-year pro Steve Scifres for his starting job, offensive line coach Hudson Houck said.

"We've got to get somebody like Tony ready to play," Houck said. "I'm convinced that Nate still wants to play, but he still has to show that commitment."

Although he will count just $883,000 under the salary cap in the final year of his contract, Newton is on the bubble after grading poorly in 1997 and having knee and shoulder surgery in the off-season. Newton also has been bothered by a painful heel.

The Cowboys recently spoke to Newton about his weight, but they won't say publicly if he faces fines. Although listed at 320 pounds, Newton apparently was close to 360 pounds last season.

But Newton has answered those doubts so far by joining the Cowboys' off-season conditioning program earlier than he has in any year since coming to Dallas in 1986.

"He's working out like he's going to be there," said Jim Neader, Newton's agent. "He knows what he needs to do to be at 100 percent."

One survey rated McIver a lowly 19th among free-agent guards, and the Dolphins had the league's second-worst rushing offense with him starting 14 games.

Neither figure seemed to concern the Cowboys, who insist they saw a big, extremely aggressive player on films of all his games last season.

"He jumped out at us on film," line coach Hudson Houck said. "He's a legit football player, not just someone who fits financially."

McIver, who was on the Cowboys' practice squad in 1993, said he turned down a three-year offer to return to the Dolphins and spurned at least five other teams.

Thanks to an exploding free-agent market, the Cowboys had no choice but to overpay for McIver's services. He becomes the ninth-highest paid player on their roster with a $1.9 million average salary. The contract reportedly is heavily back-loaded in salary and includes a club option for the final two years.

"He's only 27, and age definitely was a factor," Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones said. "We wanted somebody we knew was definitely going to be here next year."

Marion visits Falcons

Brock Marion will visit the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday and could choose his destination by the end of the week, his agent said.

The Dallas free safety, an unrestricted free agent, already has visited Miami and Arizona. He could make two more trips after visiting the Falcons, agent Jordan Woy said.

The Cardinals want Marion desperately and already have made him an offer thought to be worth more than $2.5 million per year - well out of the Cowboys' price range.

Davis continues tour

Wide receiver/special teams standout Billy Davis, a restricted free agent who visited the Dolphins last Friday, interviewed Monday with Philadelphia.

Agent Jordan Woy said Davis will make his choice this week. Miami has outlined a two-year offer, but the Cowboys have the right of first refusal. Cowboys coach Chan Gailey said Monday that keeping Davis is a priority.

Briefly ...

Chan Gailey said he expects to fill perhaps all five coaching vacancies by Friday. Gailey has ruled out Pittsburgh tight ends coach Mike Mularkey as a potential assistant, and Indianapolis president Bill Polian said assistant Greg Blache - who interviewed for the Cowboys' defensive-line opening - is staying with the Colts. ... Ex-Cowboys receivers coach Hubbard Alexander is in line for a similar job with the Minnesota Vikings. ... The Cowboys have approached free-agent defensive tackle Joe Phillips, an SMU-ex recently released by Kansas City. ... Stephen Jones said the Cowboys will restructure contracts of several high-priced players to proceed in free agency.

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

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