Are the Dallas Cowboys quickly running out of salary cap space?
By Richard Ball
How can the Dallas Cowboys afford to keep this roster? Has their Front Office put the team’s future success at risk? Let’s see.
The Dallas Cowboys‘ Front Office have found themselves in an enviable position this offseason that will have an impact on this team for years to come. After several successful offseasons where they have avoided big free agent signings and chosen to pay their own, Dallas is currently flush with 2019 and 2020 salary cap space … or are they?
In July of 2014, Dallas signed offensive tackle Tyron Smith to an eight-year, $97.6 million dollar contract. In August of 2016, the Cowboys inked center Travis Frederick to a six-year, $56.4 million dollar extension. Both players signed before the start of their fourth season.
In June 2018, Dallas signed guard Zack Martin to a six-year, $84 million dollar contract extension prior to his fifth-year option kicking in. The Cowboys likely waited one year too long to sign Martin but it takes two to sign a deal. And it’s possible Martin waited to build his leverage.
Along the way, the team cleaned up its salary cap mess. Since the 2011 season, Dallas only trails the Buffalo Bills in dead money. Yet, the team enters 2019 with only $4.3 million or 2.3 percent of the cap allocated to the contracts for departed wide receiver Terrance Williams, cornerback Orlando Scandrick, and defensive lineman Charles Tapper.
Dallas also entered the 2019 league year without a need to restructure any contracts to get below the top 51 salary cap rule. This is a milestone for the Front Office and is very likely the first time since the salary cap began in 1994 that this occurred meaning they no longer needed to push today’s player costs into future years.
Continuing the good run, the Front Office signed undrafted free agent La’el Collins in 2015 famously landing three first round talents to go along with cornerback Byron Jones and defensive lineman Randy Gregory. Dallas has improved its hit rate on draft picks as detailed in my column two weeks ago.
The 2016 draft built the core for the 2019 team with running back Ezekiel Elliott, quarterback Dak Prescott and linebacker Jaylon Smith all playing starring roles. This draft may one day rival the 1964 draft that landed Dallas three Hall of Fame players in quarterback Roger Staubach, wide receiver Bob Hayes and defensive back Mel Renfro.
The Cowboys recent run of success finding and drafting players has created a problem many teams would like to have. Dallas has too many good players approaching the end of their rookie contracts and the Front Office needs to find a way to sign them.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence was the first contract signed earlier this offseason. Dak Prescott, wide receiver Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott are likely to get new deals before the start of the 2019 season.
Lawrence boxed the Cowboys into a corner by delaying his shoulder surgery and moving his franchise tag extension signing date forward from July 15th to April. This is where the problem starts.