The Barber shop

Dive, Barber, dive

In the words of Dale Gribble,"Bait and switch! Bait and switch!"

Rumors that the Dallas Cowboys were quietly shopping Marion Barber on the trade market were promptly "shot down" by the franchise today.

Let's not be fooled here: There was shopping going on, but the Cowboys don't want to look desperate.

There's a really good chance that Barber is still a Cowboy in four months. No doubt. However, the Cowboys would be gigantic idiots not to dangle the former Minnesota back out on the market because A) they've got two other backs that they consider "every-down"; and B) Barber's due a $4 million roster bonus soon in addition to the $3.8 million he's due just for signing a contract.

I'm sure there's a market for Barber, but the Cowboys aren't giving him away and that team will have to fork over the $7.8 million or come up with a new deal for Barber. That's not a cheap affair for any team, especially for a running back without break-away speed, the ability to will himself to a fourth-and-short or the seeming durability to be a 25-carry guy.