The Dallas Cowboys are not in a bad place financially despite what Jerry and Stephen Jones regurgitate to the media.
While Dak Prescott is projected to have an $89 million cap hit for next season, that will obviously change at some point this offseason. Extending Micah Parsons will also create significant cap relief. There are myriad ways for Dallas to move money around in the name of creating more wiggle room.
Releasing players is one of the quickest fixes in that regard. Last year, Micahel Gallup was released with a post-June 1 designation. Whether it be due to age, declining performance, or a bloated contract - or a combination of the three - this roster has multiple cut candidates.
The Athletic recently polled 32 writers to project every team's potential salary-cap cuts. Cowboys beat reporter and insider Jon Machota was tasked with picking Dallas' cut candidate. Machota's pick may surprise you, but it would be a sound decision.
Cowboys projected to release Donovan Wilson this offseason
Many Cowboys fans have circled Terence Steele as a potential cap casualty. While cutting Steele would create significant cap relief, Machota makes salient points as to why Donovan Wilson may sit atop the team's chopping block.
"It’s more likely that Wilson remains on the team, but if there was going to be a salary-cap cut in Dallas, the safety position stands out," Machota writes. "Wilson’s 2025 base salary is $6.5 million. Cutting him would leave $3.3 million in dead money. Wilson started every game last season, finishing third on the team in tackles and fifth in sacks. He ranked 61st among all safeties on Pro Football Focus."
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One of the tone-setters on the defense, Wilson ranked second among safeties with five sacks and third with 13 pressures in 2024, per PFF (subscription required). When not rushing the quarterback, though, he was a real hindrance to the defense. His declining athleticism was evident both in coverage and when pursuing ball-carriers.
Among safeties who played at least 400 coverage snaps last season, Wilson allowed the third-highest passer rating (141.6) when targeted. No safety allowed a higher completion rate than Wilson's 86.1% and he allowed the eighth-most yards after the catch. He also missed 14 tackles, which has long been his calling card as a player.
As much value that Wilson brings in run defense and rushing the QB, the Cowboys need to get younger and quicker in their defensive backfield. Wilson will turn 30 in just a few days. His best football is clearly behind him.
Cutting Wilson would result in a palatable $3.3 million in dead money, as Machota noted, but it would free up over $5 million in cap room.
Fellow safety Malik Hooker will turn 29 in April so he is no spring chicken. He certainly isn't long for Dallas, but he only allowed a 63.3% completion rate when targeted, intercepted two passes and produced a 77.8 run-defense grade to boot last season.
Hooker is probably an average starting safety at this stage of his career, but he is undoubtedly the lesser of two evils in comparison to Wilson.