3 easy cuts Cowboys can make to save $15 million

2. Anthony Brown

Let’s get one thing straight. When your roster is as talented as Dallas’ and you’re financially screwed like Dallas, no one cut is going to be easy. As ideal as it sounds, cutting the lesser-earning players on the roster isn’t going to create much wiggle room when you’re $22 million over the cap.

That brings us to Anthony Brown, who’s very much a polarizing player amongst Cowboys fans. For all of the stick he gets, it says a lot he allowed a lower completion percentage (57.7%) and passer rating (82.9) this year than Rams All-Pro Jalen Ramsey, who saw 24 fewer targets than the Cowboys’ corner, per PFF.

With that said, desperate times call for desperate measures and cutting Brown would salvage a healthy $5 million in cap space. Of course, doing so would come with great risk, as it would force 2021 second-rounder Kelvin Joseph into a prominent role after his rookie season was shortened due to injury.

It’s not our preferred move by any means. Restructuring contracts should take precedence over cutting a cornerback who started 16 games the season prior. We’re merely just laying out a scenario that sees Brown get the axe, because the Cowboys might not have another choice.

If it happens, Dallas would still have Trevon Diggs, Jourdan Lewis and Joseph, who showed legitimate promise in limited opportunities as a rookie. If they’d rather ease Joseph in, they could turn around and sign a veteran on the cheap or use another second or mid-round pick on a cornerback.