The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of big decisions to make this offseason as both Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray have expiring contracts.

It's most likely that one of the star players will get a new long-term contract while the other will be franchise tagged.

According to NFL reports, the Cowboys are currently leaning towards using the franchise tag on Bryant.

"Right now we're probably leaning that way. But that doesn't mean it won't change. We'll probably wait 'til the midnight hour to make that decision" said Cowboys Vice President Stephen Jones.

Most Cowboys fans would prefer to see Bryant get a new long-term contract instead of being franchise tagged. Bryant is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL today having the most touchdowns over the last three seasons with 41. Bryant is also very reliable having not missed a single game since 2011. Still just 26 years old, Bryant shows as much promise as any young player in the league and the Cowboys know they can't let him go.

NFL teams are presently allowed to use the franchise tag. Monday, March 2 at 4 p.m. EST is the deadline for teams to franchise tag players. On March 10, the free agency and trading period begins.

The biggest issue here for the Cowboys is keeping both Murray and Bryant. Both players are clearly worth a new large contract. Murray broke several Cowboys franchise records including Emmitt Smith's single season rushing mark. Murray also led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,845 and rushing touchdowns with 13.

Murray is a great back, but Bryant is younger, more proven and he stays on the field more often. Murray also has a bit of a fumbling issue. Part of the reason most fans want the Cowboys to give Bryant a long-term contract is because of the position. Running backs just don't last as long as wide receivers, and Murray is a bruising type of back who has an injury history.

Popular opinion and history would say the Cowboys should give Bryant a new contract and Murray the franchise tag. But, Jerry Jones doesn't want to lose his star running back after next season. He remembers what it was like in 1993 when he didn't give in to Smith and the Cowboys began the season 0-2 without him. Once Jones re-signed Smith to a new deal, the Cowboys went on a tear, winning the NFC East and eventually the Super Bowl.

“We feel strongly about him. We worked hard to do a long-term deal with him, and we’ll continue to work hard at it. If we don’t get one, then the franchise tag just shows him how much we care about him and that we don’t want to expose him,” Stephen Jones also said.

Bryant and the Cowboys have obviously tried to reach a new long-term deal, because that would be a win-win situation for both sides. Unfortunately for Bryant, the Cowboys can't break the break on him because of salary cap reasons. Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions is the highest paid wide receiver in the NFL with more than $48 million in guaranteed money. Rumors have been circulating that Bryant wants a similar contract, maybe more.

If the Cowboys pay Bryant the same amount as Johnson, that would mean they are investing more than $100 million in guaranteed money in two players: Bryant and Tony Romo.

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