IRVING, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys are heading for a training camp showdown with backup quarterback Kyle Orton, who missed the entire offseason program and is now boycotting the mandatory minicamp.
Orton is subject to $69,455 in fines if he misses all of the minicamp. He already lost $75,000 for missing too many workouts, part of a de-escalator clause in his contract. Orton was scheduled to make $3.25 million this season before any fines and the de-escalator. He would have to repay the Cowboys $3 million of his signing bonus if he retires.
The Cowboys report to training camp on July 22 and begin workouts July 24 in Oxnard, Calif.
He would be subject to fines of $30,000 per day for missing training camp then the Cowboys will begin the process of trying to regain the $3 million in signing bonus money from Orton.
“Well, of course we were aware that he wasn’t going to be here,” owner Jerry Jones said. “We are just handling all of our business with him the way the agreement is called for. This is mandatory for him to be here. Consequences have been pre-negotiated when we did our contract. We will let it play out from there.”
The Cowboys had conversations with Orton’s agent, David Dunn, but have not talked to Orton.
Coach Jason Garrett said he might have talked Orton twice during the entire offseason.
He understood Orton’s feelings on possibly not playing this season and would welcome him back if he showed up for training camp.
But Garrett said the focus will be on the players in camp.
“We’re not going to do anything with the roster regarding Kyle Orton right now,” Garrett said. “We’re just going to proceed as normal. We expect him to be here for a mandatory minicamp, he’s not. We’ll handle it the way we need to handle it in regards to the penalties and we’ll just coach the guys who are here.
The Cowboys are happy with the progress of quarterback Brandon Weeden, the former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns who was signed at the start of free agency because of speculation about Orton’s future. Weeden took all the first team snaps during OTAs and minicamp because of Orton’s absence and Tony Romo’s rehab from back surgery.
“We are just trying to get Brandon Weeden an opportunity to show us what he can do,” Garrett said. “I think he has done a tremendous job taking advantage of the opportunity he has gotten with Kyle not being here and Tony not being able to take any of those competitive reps. It’s been a good learning experience.”
Weeden said he is just happy for the fresh start after the disappointing time in Cleveland. He knew the Cowboys liked him coming out of Oklahoma State, making Dallas a good place to start over.
“That was actually the conversation me and my agent had when it was all going down,” Weeden said. “When I explored all my options, obviously this place was extremely attractive.
“And then I knew the situation coming out of the draft. I knew they were interested. I knew they weren’t going to take me with a first-round pick or maybe even a second-round pick. I was excited when the opportunity came and Mr. Jones called my agent and it all worked out. I was excited about the opportunity, excited to be a part of a great franchise. This is a dream come true. I’m just kind of relishing every moment of it.”