Cowboys have $147M in 2014 cap commitments. At least $20M over projected cap already.

[RS12]

• The Cowboys' total is inflated in part because of quarterback Tony Romo's $21.8 million cap number next season. But defensive end/linebacker DeMarcus Ware is scheduled to count $16 million and cornerback Brandon Carr will count $12.2 million. That's $50 million for three players. Add on tight end Jason Witten ($8.4 million), receiver Miles Austin ($8.2 million), defensive tackle Jay Ratliff ($8.2 million) and linebacker Sean Lee($7.5 million), and you have $82.3 million in cap commitments for seven players. But the Cowboys' biggest issue, as the folks at overthecap.com have pointed out, is how much dead money -- cap space consumed by players no longer on the roster -- they would incur if they release any of those high-priced veterans. That's something to keep an eye on next spring and beyond.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/87545/inside-slant-a-peek-at-the-steelers-future

 

[Picksix]

Looks like we're stuck with a lot of guys for at least a couple more years.

 

[Vanilla2]

Looks like we're stuck with a lot of guys for at least a couple more years.

Who are these players were stuck with?

 

[BAZ]

Baltimore blew it up after their win, why would we be any different?

 

[KingintheNorth]

Romo will definitely restructure.

Ratliff is a goner and Austin may be too.

 

[DFWJC]

Sounds lie last offseason.
They will work around it.

 

[Kaiser]

The article it references at overthecap.com is moronic. It lists the top six Dallas salaries starting with Witten, DWare and Romo and follows it with this sentence:

"The 6 players listed directly above account for 48.3% of all potential dead money on the Cowboys cap in 2014."

In other words, actually paying future Hall of Famers like DeMarcus Ware is "potential dead money". The article starts with this:

"Dead money refers to how much money a player will cost a team on the salary cap if the team cuts ties with that player (or in some cases, trades that player)."

Shortly before saying this:

"Safe to say these players aren’t going anywhere this year, so their dead money totals as of right now are an afterthought."

In other words, they have an axe to grind and are hoping other ax-grinders link to their web site without paying a lot of attention to the numbers.

 

[Kaiser]

Overthecap.com also missed a few minor details like Doug Free restructuring his contract. The cost of cutting him after this year is 3MM and they list it at 7.

 

[Nightman]

You can restructure those 6 guys and cut Ratliff and shave 40m off the cap number. It's not a problem.

 

[CowboysLegend365]

Romo, Ware, & B. Carr's will def be restructured, Ratliff and Miles may be gone. Voila.

 

[big dog cowboy]

In September? Good grief.

 

[burmafrd]

I think this year decides if we keep Austin. Rat is already gone pretty much.

Reality is that when you have a couple of top players and a top QB you are going to see a lot of the cap go their way.

You just have to work it as best you can.

 

[Bullflop]

More selling out on the future seems to be in store for this team in lieu of finding creative ways to remain well under the confines of the cap. When it comes to being cap efficient, Jerry & Co. aren't anything overly special. Surviving by restructuring every year is anything but the most effective way to run a football franchise.

 

[Fredd]

I don't know the numbers, but I think Miles isn 't going anywhere because his contract isn't just for next year...and how do Ratliff and Orton (for example) still have dead money in 2015 and 2016? Did they get deferred money or something?

 

[kevm3]

With the way they are trying to get Williams integrated into this offence, I think Austin is gone. Ratliff is definitely gone.

 

[bark]

It is what it is. Rams.... Im focused on the rams

 

[TheRomoSexual]

We'll restructure a few guys and had more than enough to extend who we need to expend and be somewhat active in free agency.

 

[Risen Star]

The great work of Stephen Jones.

 

[Risen Star]

More selling out on the future seems to be in store for this team in lieu of finding creative ways to remain well under the confines of the cap. When it comes to being cap efficient, Jerry & Co. aren't anything overly special. Surviving by restructuring every year is anything but the most effective way to run a football franchise.

But just don't ask him about it. He's sensitive.

But if you want to talk about accountability beneath them, by all means, fire away.

 

[Vinnie2u]

My question is why keep restructuring and pushing back money on a 8-8 team that has not won anything... that's throwing good money on bad.