I’m willing to see the Cowboys lose some familiar faces next offseason because of the cap, but less willing to see George Pickens or Joey Porter Jr. leave and hear that Dallas couldn’t afford them.
Before we buy that explanation, I wanted to go through the contracts with you.
Who can be cut? Who could stay with a pay cut? Can Dallas restructure players who’ve already been restructured? And after all that movement, would there even be enough to field a complete team?
The cap numbers give Dallas options. One would keep Pickens, Porter, and the important veterans. Does it make it the best way to do business? I’m not sure, but it does deserve a look before we start choosing who has to leave town.
How Much Could the Salary Cap Increase?
The current 2027cap projection puts Dallas at approximately $1.97 million over a $327 million salary cap, with 39 players under contract. Here’s how I got that number for next offseason.
The past four years show three consecutive increases of at least $22 million. The last three cap increases average about $25.47 million and another increase of that size would put the 2027 cap at $326.67 million. Repeating the three-year average percentage is $332.13 million.
I’m going to round up to $327 million for this article to make the numbers easier to read.
Kenny Clark Is Where I Would Start
Kenny Clark will have a $23.7 million cap hit in 2027. A normal release would save $8.9 million, but a post-June 1 treatment would save $20 million, leaving $3.7 million in dead money that year and $11.1 million in 28′.
I like Clark, but can we get younger and cheaper while getting the same production from someone else?
Three other players I would look at are Hunter Luepke, KaVontae Turpin, and Markquese Bell.
Cutting all four of these guys, with a post-June 1 designation for Kenny Clark, would create $30.3 million.
Again, can the Cowboys replace these guys with younger, cheaper versions?
What About Cheaper Contracts?
One thing I would check into is if Kenny Clark would be willing to lower his price tag before deciding he has to leave.
He’s scheduled for $20 million in 2027 and if that number could be lowered to around $12 million, with bonuses attached for meeting milestones. Dallas would save around $8 million by lowering his cap hit to about $15.7 million.
That’s the way my hypothetical negotiation would go.
Turpin, Luepke, and Bell have other complications. Their contracts end after 2027, so converting their salary to a bonus wouldn’t do much good. Dallas would have to add additional years and I don’t know if all three of these guys are worth it.
I don’t think I would extend any of these three beyond next season. I don’t know if I would keep them around next year, because they aren’t bringing much value compared to their contracts.
Can Dallas Restructure These Deals Again?
We know some contracts have already been restructured this last offseason, but that doesn’t stop us from doing it again in 2027.
Dallas could convert part of next year’s salary into another bonus and push it out over the next few years. The previous bonuses stay on the books, but the new money can be pushed over the next five years, and they could add extra years if an agreement is made.
The contracts I would look at again are:
Dak, Lamb, and Smith alone could create about $64.11 million in relief.
Dak might be the biggest domino to fall. His cap hit in 2027 could be about $76.03 million to $41.10 million, while another $34.92 million could move into later years.
The contract I would be most careful with is Terence Steele. His post-June 1 cut would be no savings at all. A post-June 1st trade would save the Cowboys $9 million, but would someone take him?
My Budget for Pickens and Porter
George Pickens and Joey Porter Jr. are my priorities. I would also budget for DeMarvion Overshown, T.J. Bass, and Otito Ogbonnia depending on their health, play, and the price.
This is what I think these contracts could look like:
The difference between annual salary averages and first-year cap charges are the biggest thing here.
For example, a $40 million signing bonus stretched across four years, plus $2 million in first-year salary, gives Pickens a $12 million cap hit. He receives most of his money up front, while more cap hits happen later.
Overshown wouldn’t get any guarantees because his injury history is a major factor in his next contract.
I would think about some affordable guys returning, like Malik Hooker, P.J. Locke, and Cobie Durant. All of these guys have expiring contracts and I believe they could be brought back cheap.
Broderick Jones, Sam Howell, and Bryan Anger also need contracts. None of these players would need a substantial commitment, but bring back a starter and two important depth pieces.
What Would Dallas Have Left?
Each of the scenarios below include the $32 million signing budget and the yearly added cap space.
No 2026 rollover is included in my scenarios.
I would evaluate the veterans on their play after this season, and if the defense doesn’t get any better, well, restructure or re-sign players that would help.
But the no-cut approach is interesting to me because it keeps more players while creating space for the five contracts. It also pushes about $64 million in existing cap charges down the road, on top of the new deals.
These numbers show a path to keeping Pickens and Porter. The numbers don’t tell us whether the commitments are worth the price down the road.
But we can have that discussion when we get there.
Was this helpful?
Comments