IRVING, Texas -- On a day when Jerry Jones voted unanimously with 31 other NFL teams to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement, the Cowboys owner and general manager took care of two of his Pro Bowlers.
Cornerback Terence Newman signed a six-year extension worth $50.2 million with $22.5 million in guaranteed money, and running back Marion Barber signed a seven-year deal worth $45 million that includes $16 million guaranteed.
While the league and NFLPA will have labor peace at least through 2010, the uncertainty of what might happen beyond that led to a flurry of action, even as Jerry and Stephen Jones attended the spring meetings in Atlanta.
The Cowboys wanted to get deals done before the end of business Tuesday because of changes to the salary cap in the future, including how long signing bonuses can be prorated, the 30 percent yearly increase and how not-likely-to-be-earned incentives will count against the cap.
The players wanted deals done so they could concentrate on football. Newman, entering the last year of his contract, was scheduled to make $1.4 million this season. Barber had been tendered a deal worth $2.562 million as a restricted free agent and missed the first day of organized team activities Tuesday.
He will be at today's workouts.
"I think it was a big factor for the Cowboys," Barber's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said of the deadline. "They have so many fine players and big deals they have to negotiate. So it may not be a factor for other teams, but it was for the Cowboys.
"At the end of the day, it didn't matter to us, we were going to be patient and wait for a deal for our client," Rosenhaus said. "To their credit, they were very aggressive over the last 48 hours, and we were able to get it done in time. At the end of the day, both sides are very happy."
The move continues the Cowboys' insistence on keeping their core players -- from Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Bradie James, Jay Ratliff, Roy Williams, Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode, Patrick Crayton and Mat McBriar -- before they hit the open market.
"The Cowboys' ownership once again demonstrated why players want to be a part of their organization," said Newman's agent, Ben Dogra, who also represents Williams. "They take care of their guys."
To create room under the salary cap, the Cowboys restructured Romo's contract, opening up nearly $5 million.
Newman's contract falls in line with the deals struck recently by cornerbacks Asante Samuel of Philadelphia ($23 million guaranteed), Oakland's DeAngelo Hall ($23.5 million) and Seattle's Marcus Trufant ($20 million). Newman turns 30 on Sept. 4.
Despite missing three games because of a foot injury, Newman was named to his first Pro Bowl last season after tying career highs in interceptions (four) and pass deflections (15).
"Sometimes when you don't have a contract going into your last year, you get to thinking about the wrong things," Newman said. "You worry about staying healthy and making plays you don't normally make. The fact that we're done with it, I only have to worry about playing football."
Barber also was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2007, despite not starting a regular-season game. He ran for a career-high 975 yards on 204 carries with 10 touchdowns.
Barber's guaranteed money is $1 million more than what Michael Turner received from Atlanta as part of a six-year, $34.5 million contract this year and the amount Willis McGahee received in a seven-year, $40 million contract from Baltimore last season after his trade from Buffalo.
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