Column by TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News | tarcher@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Marco Rivera's playing future is in serious doubt.
A second back surgery to the same disk in three years has left the veteran guard as a spectator this off-season, and has many wondering if he will play again for the Cowboys or anybody.
Rivera, 35, does not want to talk about his future, but this off-season he has continued to show the same leadership and direction for younger offensive linemen in the locker room.
From the first minicamp through the second week of organized team activities, Rivera has been a player/coach of sorts for third-round pick James Marten and fourth-round pick Doug Free. During breaks, Rivera has shown the rookies the finer points of playing the offensive line.
"He knows everything about the position," Marten said. "It shows you what kind of guy he that he's willing to show us. It's great to learn from a guy who's been in the league that long. All the little tricks, he knows."
Even though Rivera plays guard and Marten and Free are tackles, the principles of the position are the same. During the first minicamp, Rivera drilled home the importance of footwork and keeping a strong base and center of gravity.
"Whatever they did in college and learned, it doesn't mean anything here," Rivera said.
When Rivera was a sixth-round pick by the Packers in 1996, he learned from Frank Winters. Rivera blossomed into a three-time Pro Bowler, protecting Brett Favre and opening holes for Ahman Green. Soon he began to pass his knowledge on to younger players, believing it's his duty to do so.
Signed as a free agent away from Green Bay in 2005 to a five-year deal with a signing bonus of $8.125 million, the Cowboys hoped Rivera would solve their problems on the interior line in addition to providing veteran leadership.
But he needed the first surgery after rupturing a disk while jogging on a treadmill and that affected his strength and stamina his first season although he started all but two games. Last season, Rivera performed much better because he had a full off-season of conditioning and strength work. But early in the wild-card loss to Seattle, he felt his back stiffen. He knew it was serious but refused to come out of the game. He did not sit between series. The flight home, already painful because of the heartbreaking loss, was even more unbearable because of the shots of pain through his back. Had the Cowboys beaten Seattle, Rivera would not have been able to play anymore in the postseason. He had surgery a few days later, putting his career in limbo.
JOHN F. RHODES / DMN
Cowboys guard Marco Rivera (right) has been hampered by back problems.
Scheduled to count $3.6 million against the salary cap and earn a $2 million base salary, the Cowboys could choose to release him to save money. As a June 1 cut, the Cowboys can split the $1.2 million salary-cap hit over the next two years.
Or the Cowboys and Rivera could agree to a reworked contract at a significantly lower salary that gives the veteran more time see if he can come back. If Rivera chose to retire, he would lose out on a one-time six-figure injury protection payment.
But that's a discussion Rivera does not want to have now.
As the Cowboys conclude their second week of OTAs, Rivera will be there in his No. 62 practice jersey and shorts. As the young linemen work through the drills, Rivera will be watching and waiting to point out the subtlest misstep.
