The NFL announced yesterday that the salary cap for the 2019 season will be set at $188.2 million. That’s $11 million more than last year, and the extra cash is welcome for the Dallas Cowboys as they have several expensive goals this offseason.
While the increase is good news, it’s not surprising. The cap has gone up at least $10 million each of the last several years, and this is about the amount that all teams expected for this season.
So while this news doesn’t change anything about all of the projections and previews you’ve been reading up until now, it does at least solidify what all 32 NFL teams will have to work in 2019. And of course, the number could have potentially come in lower than expected.
Even with around $50 million in cap space this year, the Cowboys won’t be struggling for ways to spend that money.
Their top offseason priority, re-signing DE DeMarcus Lawrence, could cost them well over a third of that cap room. Then there are discussions about a new contract for other Pro Bowlers like QB Dak Prescott, RB Ezekiel Elliott, and CB Byron Jones.
Dallas will also be hoping to improve areas of the team to build on last year’s playoff appearance. Signing any marquee free agent, such as the much-discussed Earl Thomas, will command a good bit of that spending power.
But now we know for sure what the Cowboys have to spend. Free agency soon begins on March 13th, and it appears that Dallas will have all the freedom to be major players in the open market if they so choose.
