Henry Melton: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation Surrounding Star DT | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
After a failed one-year experiment, the Dallas Cowboys decided to move on from Henry Melton. Now, the veteran defensive tackle is heading to Tampa Bay to join the Buccaneers after spending time on the open market.
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Bucs, Melton Agree to Deal
Thursday, March 12
Melton's agent, Jordan Woy, announced his client has agreed to a deal with the Buccaneers, which Yahoo Sports' Rand Getlin reported to be for just one year:
Jordan Woy @JordanWoyCongrats to Henry Melton @HenMel for agreeing to terms and signing today with Tampa Bay Bucs. Big year ahead!
Earlier, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported Melton and the Bucs were finalizing an agreement, while Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida.com first reported on March 10 that Melton was meeting with the Bucs.
Melton, 28, played last season in Dallas after a five-year stint with the Chicago Bears. His deal was reportedly worth four years and $27.5 million, but those numbers were misleading. The Cowboys held an option for the final three years of the contract following the 2014 season, which they declined on Feb. 14.
Playing in 16 games but starting only three, Melton was nowhere near his former Pro Bowl self. He recorded 15 tackles and five sacks before being put on injured reserve in December due to a bone bruise to his knee. The Cowboys chose to go with unproven players on their defensive line rather than the veteran in many cases—a clear sign he wasn't where anyone expected him to be.
"I didn't get exactly where I wanted to get," Melton said of his 2014 performance, per Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News. "It was just rough coming back. I had to get back into playing shape. It is what it is."
Melton was attempting to come back from a torn ACL suffered three games into 2013, an injury that ended his tenure in Chicago. One of the rising young linemen in football before going down, Melton was steps slower off of the ball with the Cowboys—even if he remained a half-decent pass-rusher.
Tampa Bay will be crossing its fingers for a return to form. In 2012, Pro Football Focus' metrics ranked Melton as the best run-stopping defensive tackle in football. His 11.6 run-stop percentage was a full point better than any other qualifying player. Factor in his fifth-place ranking in pass-rushing productivity, and one could have easily argued Melton was the best defensive tackle in football a mere three years ago.
While he has some football left heading into his age-29 season, it looks likely Melton's knee injury ended his peak early.
