There is no Salary Cap Hell for Cowboys

[Miller]

Cant just restructure without a players consent and guys like DLaw aren’t taking a cut. That’s the issue. At some point you just have to make business decisions. A lot of that is “does that players play equal even close to contract now or if restructured.” I’d say Coop and DLaw is a no.

 

[Sydla]

And this is where my limited knowledge of the cap comes in to play. I assumed since the numbers given were strictly based on salary restructures wouldn’t be included since those are basically just translated into signing bonus money. Is that incorrect?

Yes. Restructure typically means base salary is converted to a bonus. Then the team can spread that bonus over the remaining years of the contract for cap purposes. In terms of money paid, the player gets paid up front now the part that was restructured instead of earning his entire base salary in cash payments weekly during the season.

 

[DasTex]

Cant just restructure without a players consent and guys like DLaw aren’t taking a cut. That’s the issue. At some point you just have to make business decisions. A lot of that is “does that players play equal even close to contract now or if restructured.” I’d say Coop and DLaw is a no.

Restructures are not pay cuts. They get the same amount of money

 

[Sydla]

Cant just restructure without a players consent and guys like DLaw aren’t taking a cut. That’s the issue. At some point you just have to make business decisions. A lot of that is “does that players play equal even close to contract now or if restructured.” I’d say Coop and DLaw is a no.

Restructure and pay cut aren't the same thing. Yes, a player has to agree to a pay cut. But a restructure is different. It's not a pay cut but rather just a timing change on when the player gets his cash. Most players like restructures because part of their base salary, which would be paid weekly over the course of a season, gets converted to a bonus and is paid upfront. In some cases, a team would me taking unguaranteed base salary and converting a portion to guaranteed money. Players will take that every time.

 

[Doomsday101]

Cant just restructure without a players consent and guys like DLaw aren’t taking a cut. That’s the issue. At some point you just have to make business decisions. A lot of that is “does that players play equal even close to contract now or if restructured.” I’d say Coop and DLaw is a no.

players lose no money at all on restructurer.

 

[CWR]

I just don't get fans upset about the Cap. There is no reason to cut any player we have unless Dallas wants to get rid of them either because they don't believe they are really helping win or they don't fit what they want or the coaching staff wants to move on from them.

Sure we are over the cap by $21 million. IT IS NO BIG DEAL. The Saints on Friday were $76 million over and by Sunday they are $50 million over and will be under the cap by next week. Guess what, they haven't cut a single guy yet. The cap is fluid and rising. The NFL and NFLPA Look Forward to the Future Salary Cap ; 2023 will be $231,200,000 to $248,200,000 ; 2024 will be $249,200,000 to $268,200,000; 2025 will be $272,200,000 to $288,000,000.

If Dallas wants to get rid of Cooper and/or Lawrence or any other player it is not because of the cap. In fact over the last 4 years, Dallas has spent less on players than 26 other clubs and spent $134 million less in marketing and salaries than the small market of Jacksonville. Less spending means more money for the Jones.

Dallas can restructure both Lawrence and Cooper along with Dak and Martin and Smith thus giving them plenty of money to resign Gallup, Wilson, Schultz, Kearse and Gregory along with a few other free agents like say Justin Reid S and/or Will Hernandez LG and/or Josey Jewell LB and/or fill in the blank plus money for the draft picks.

If Dallas wants to jettison Cooper and Lawrence, it won't be because they have to, it will be because they want to but if they do they should at least get a 3rd round choice or more for either. If they don't then the FO of Stephen and Jerry have done an extremely bad job again.

Now I expect Dallas to either cut Jarwin or he agrees to a massive pay cut and in fact wouldn't surprise me if he retires due to the injury he has. Won't be surprised to see Anthony Brown and/or Jordan Lewis traded as their value will never be higher than after last year especially with this so-so draft of players (don't let the hype get you). This draft class would mostly be third day picks in the 2022 draft.

What will Dallas do? I am sure we will see it play out starting this week.

100% correct, thank you!

It's not the cap we are hamstrung by. It's thus organizations continued need to be relevant each and every year. They avoid a down season at the risk of a big season.

I heard (BTB) we could've restructured, Dak, Coop, Martin, Smith and Law I think. It would've put us approx 30 million under and ever increasing cap. Not sure about that number, but it was a ton.

 

[Miller]

Restructure and pay cut aren't the same thing. Yes, a player has to agree to a pay cut. But a restructure is different. It's not a pay cut but rather just a timing change on when the player gets his cash. Most players like restructures because part of their base salary, which would be paid weekly over the course of a season, gets converted to a bonus and is paid upfront. In some cases, a team would me taking unguaranteed base salary and converting a portion to guaranteed money. Players will take that every time.

Thanks for this. I’m no cap expert. I didn’t mean to lump them as the same. I just think throwing out “restructure” and other terms can mean it’s an easy fix when I’m not sure it is. I do agree with some that if they’re willing to cut someone then overall it’s a player issue, not overall salary.

 

[Sydla]

Thanks for this. I’m no cap expert. I didn’t mean to lump them as the same. I just think throwing out “restructure” and other terms can mean it’s an easy fix when I’m not sure it is. I do agree with some that if they’re willing to cut someone then overall it’s a player issue, not overall salary.

In NFL terms, a "restructure" is an easy alleviation to a cap hit for that year, but it carries "penalties" in the form of you kicking more cap hits into the future. A team can get burned that way if a player falls off in production but it accounting for massive cap hits that you created by rolling bonus money into future years.

With regards to your last paragraph, take Lawrence. It's been reported that they actually went to him to take a pay cut. If they are doing that, it's clear they want to keep him. So if they cut him eventually, it was a cap issue, not a player issue.

 

[Miller]

Restructures are not pay cuts. They get the same amount of money

Yes, just explained above I wasn’t trying to blend them. I’m not a cap guy. So excuse my ignorance overall on some numbers issues. I just meant that constant restructuring or asking guys to take cuts isn’t just an automatic and I don’t think it will keep a team afloat overall in the long run.

 

[fivetwos]

The fact they may have gone to Lawrence for a pay cut tells you they want to keep him but the cap constraints may force them to cut him.

Then not having DLaw or Cooper leads to an overpayment to Gregory and Gallup.

Remains to be seen but I fully expect both to be paid well above production the next couple of years, and at that point we are figuring how that dead money affects the ability to retain Diggs and Parsons....

...and we stay on the treadmill.

 

[DasTex]

Yes, just explained above I wasn’t trying to blend them. I’m not a cap guy. So excuse my ignorance overall on some numbers issues. I just meant that constant restructuring or asking guys to take cuts isn’t just an automatic and I don’t think it will keep a team afloat overall in the long run.

Not too many Adam's floating around the board these days. Miss his cap updates and how everything worked out.
I get confused by it as well and most the stuff I find out is playing with the various Cap websites and manipulating it from there. Those probably aren't that accurate either

 

[Doomsday101]

Then not having DLaw or Cooper leads to an overpayment to Gregory and Gallup.

Remains to be seen but I fully expect both to be paid well above production the next couple of years, and at that point we are figuring how that dead money affects the ability to retain Diggs and Parsons....

...and we stay on the treadmill.

We will see. Gregory is projected to get 13.3 mill a year deal and Gallup 11.8 according to spotrac of their market value.

 

[tm1119]

And this is where my limited knowledge of the cap comes in to play. I assumed since the numbers given were strictly based on salary restructures wouldn’t be included since those are basically just translated into signing bonus money. Is that incorrect?

If I’m understanding what you are asking correctly…the bonus given for a restructure doesn’t count against the cap. That’s why some teams are able to spend a significant amount more $ than other teams. Contracts are structured (and restructured) so that large bonuses are paid to the player while keeping the cap hit significantly lower than what the player is actually making. That’s what I mean when saying that there is no “hard cap” in the nfl. GM’s simply just have to manipulate the #’s to get to whatever the cap limit is that year….most teams are spending a significant amount more than whatever the actual salary cap is that year, just takes some good accounting and the willingness to spend $.

Now ask yourself, how is the team that is worth more $ than any other sports franchise on earth spending the least amount of $ in any 4 year span?

 

[JBond]

Go look at the cap in 2024 for Dallas - they are in no way, shape or form in cap hell. Even if they restructured everyone they can, including Zeke, Tank and Cooper - they would still have plenty of cap space in 2024.

So in a few seasons we may have some cap room. Very interesting stuff. So skip '22 and '23 and hope they don't mess it up by '24? That is the new plan? Just checking.

 

[DasTex]

So in a few seasons we may have some cap room. Very interesting stuff. So skip '22 and '23 and hope they don't mess it up by '24? That is the new plan? Just checking.

Sorry, that was meant for 23-24 season.
They can easily get under the cap this season without any cuts, and resign some key FA's. The cap situation the following season is fine. Simple restructures of Martin and Dak put them around $40 million in cap room and that includes both Tank and Cooper at their full cap figures around $49 million for both - which we know isn't going to happen.

 

[fivetwos]

We will see. Gregory is projected to get 13.3 mill a year deal and Gallup 11.8 according to spotrac of their market value.

Yep sounds right.

If Gregory can actually give us a full season he would likely earn it.

Now that suspensions should be behind him, suddenly his body is no longer that of a pup.

 

[Doomsday101]

Yep sounds right.

If Gregory can actually give us a full season he would likely earn it.

Now that suspensions should be behind him, suddenly his body is no longer that of a pup.

True but then there has been little wear on the body.

 

[Sydla]

Then not having DLaw or Cooper leads to an overpayment to Gregory and Gallup.

Remains to be seen but I fully expect both to be paid well above production the next couple of years, and at that point we are figuring how that dead money affects the ability to retain Diggs and Parsons....

...and we stay on the treadmill.

Possibly. But you still have to field a team. If you cut Cooper and DLaw and let Gregory and Gallup walk, what are your plans at WR and DE?

Or are you just going with the assumption we will regress anyway in 2022 so why lock up guys to long term contracts?

 

[CWR]

Cant just restructure without a players consent and guys like DLaw aren’t taking a cut. That’s the issue. At some point you just have to make business decisions. A lot of that is “does that players play equal even close to contract now or if restructured.” I’d say Coop and DLaw is a no.

Restructures and pay cuts are two very different things. I dont know I've ever heard of a player declining to restructure.

Edit: nm brother. I see this has been covered.

 

[BermyStar]

Cap hell, restructures... perpetuity