The Dallas Cowboys must capitalize on their momentum

Multiple Contract Restructuring

As soon as the team reached an agreement with their quarterback, the team immediately began to go to work and started to create cap space by restructuring a few contracts. The team began by surprisingly restructuring the contracts of offensive lineman La’el Collins, Tyron Smith, and Zack Martin.

Those moves alone created roughly $17 million worth of cap space which signals the team is confident that its bookends will be in the starting lineup this fall. That is a far cry from the sky is falling narrative many people have been screaming about for almost the entire offseason.

I am not saying the team shouldn’t try and acquire a cheaper and younger alternative but the team can get away with moving forward with what they have this season. Projecting Tyron Smith to be hurt even before he steps on the field feels like everyone has already given up on the former All-Pro.

What is also interesting is the Cowboys’ decision to not restructure the contracts of wideout Amari Cooper and defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence. Those two moves would create an additional $26 million in cap space. I was laughed at by suggesting the Dallas Cowboys could come up with $90 million in space but they are only a few suggested moves from reaching that goal.

Some conspiracy theorists are starting to get the 2022 cut train going as cutting those two gentlemen before the first of June next year would only cost the team a $25 million dead cap but also gain them $24 million in space.

I believe not flipping the proverbial restructure switch has much more to do about perception during negotiations than it does about the future of both players.

If an agent is negotiating a deal once the free-agent frenzy begins, the frantic phone calls and empty promises are going to drown out many factors which I believe include hypothetical cap space.

I think the Cowboys will at some point restructure both players but it might be at a later time. It is a nice fallback option the team doesn’t have to take advantage of. I would just think of this as a reserve stimulus plan that the team can activate whenever they like.