2 year window FA and Mock Draft before blowing it up in 2026

[bleachedwheat]

Sign Dak to a 3yr 165mil contract 55mil per year with 100mil guaranteed. Add a voidable year to the end of the contract incase you need to restructure for next year.
He doesn't get a no trade clause.
Trade Dak in 2026 before that draft.

Sign CD to a 5yr 150mil contract 30mil per year with 80mil guaranteed. Back load the contract to create more space this year and next year.

Parsons will play on his 5th year option during the 2025 season. After the season put the Exclusive Franchise Tag on him and try to get 2 first round picks for him.

Extend Tank, make his 20 million contract for this year, a 2yr 10mil per year contract. He would probably do that if it was fully guaranteed.

RECAP
Dak traded in 2026 before draft
Parsons traded in 2026 before draft
Tank let him walk in 2026 Free Agency
Martin let him walk/retire in 2026 Free Agency
Wilson let him walk in 2026 Free Agency

Diggs, Steele, Bland, Hooker, CD would be your more expensive players left over and you would have to pay Tyler Smith in 2027 after his 5yr option.
As long as everybody isn't Restructured every year the 2026 salary cap shouldn't be that bad and 2027 would look pretty good.

Resign DT Hankins, RB Dowdle 1 year deals for both

FA
RB D'Onta Foreman 2yr 6mil contract
RB Jerick McKinnon 1yr 1.75mil contract, won't effect comp pick formula; less than 2mil.
LT/RT Yosh Nijman 2yr 12mil contract
C/G Bradley Bozeman 1yr 7mil contract 4.5mil guaranteed, won't effect comp pick formula; he was cut.
DE Emmanuel Ogbah 1yr 6mil contract 4mil guaranteed, won't effect comp pick formula; he was cut.

Draft
Trade with Ravens they move up from 30 and give Dallas pick 93 an 8pt overpay so it's about right.

30. T/G Jordan Morgan(6'5, 315) Arizona
56. 3-Tech Ruke Orhorhoro(6'4, 295) Clemson

87. WR Jalen McMillan(6'1, 195) Washington
93. CB Caelen Carson(6'0, 200) Wake

174. ILB Nathaniel Watson(6'2, 235) Miss St.
216. C/G Charles Turner lll(6'4, 305) LSU

233. Slot Beanie Bishop Jr.(5'10, 185) West Virginia
244. 1-Tech Elijah Simmons(6'2, 340) Tennessee

2025 Draft Needs
1. QB 2. RB 3. WR 4. LB 5. DE
2026 Draft Needs
1. DE 2. G 3. C 4. SS 5. LB
2027 Draft Needs
1. QB 2. FS 3. CB 4. G 5. T

 

[Landryhat73]

Nice work - think they are going to let all the over 30 players walk after the season. (Martin and Lawrence). Don’t think it will ever be a total rebuild but it looks like over the course of the next 2 years they are trying to reset the cap.

 

[baltcowboy]

Sign Dak to a 3yr 165mil contract 55mil per year with 100mil guaranteed. Add a voidable year to the end of the contract incase you need to restructure for next year.
He doesn't get a no trade clause.
Trade Dak in 2026 before that draft.

Sign CD to a 5yr 150mil contract 30mil per year with 80mil guaranteed. Back load the contract to create more space this year and next year.

Parsons will play on his 5th year option during the 2025 season. After the season put the Exclusive Franchise Tag on him and try to get 2 first round picks for him.

Extend Tank, make his 20 million contract for this year, a 2yr 10mil per year contract. He would probably do that if it was fully guaranteed.

RECAP
Dak traded in 2026 before draft
Parsons traded in 2026 before draft
Tank let him walk in 2026 Free Agency
Martin let him walk/retire in 2026 Free Agency
Wilson let him walk in 2026 Free Agency

Diggs, Steele, Bland, Hooker, CD would be your more expensive players left over and you would have to pay Tyler Smith in 2027 after his 5yr option.
As long as everybody isn't Restructured every year the 2026 salary cap shouldn't be that bad and 2027 would look pretty good.

Resign DT Hankins, RB Dowdle 1 year deals for both

FA
RB D'Onta Foreman 2yr 6mil contract
RB Jerick McKinnon 1yr 1.75mil contract, won't effect comp pick formula; less than 2mil.
LT/RT Yosh Nijman 2yr 12mil contract
C/G Bradley Bozeman 1yr 7mil contract 4.5mil guaranteed, won't effect comp pick formula; he was cut.
DE Emmanuel Ogbah 1yr 6mil contract 4mil guaranteed, won't effect comp pick formula; he was cut.

Draft
Trade with Ravens they move up from 30 and give Dallas pick 93 an 8pt overpay so it's about right.

30. T/G Jordan Morgan(6'5, 315) Arizona
56. 3-Tech Ruke Orhorhoro(6'4, 295) Clemson

87. WR Jalen McMillan(6'1, 195) Washington
93. CB Caelen Carson(6'0, 200) Wake

174. ILB Nathaniel Watson(6'2, 235) Miss St.
216. C/G Charles Turner lll(6'4, 305) LSU

233. Slot Beanie Bishop Jr.(5'10, 185) West Virginia
244. 1-Tech Elijah Simmons(6'2, 340) Tennessee

2025 Draft Needs
1. QB 2. RB 3. WR 4. LB 5. DE
2026 Draft Needs
1. DE 2. G 3. C 4. SS 5. LB
2027 Draft Needs
1. QB 2. FS 3. CB 4. G 5. T

Do fans understand how young the Cowboys actually are. They have been rebuilding since MM got here. Our only players over 30 are Dak, Martin and Tank.

 

[bleachedwheat]

Do fans understand how young the Cowboys actually are. They have been rebuilding since MM got here. Our only players over 30 are Dak, Martin and Tank.

If we have been rebuilding for years, we have been doing it wrong. There should be a lot more cap space readily available. It's not an age thing its just more of a cap reset. I guess they kind of go hand in hand in most instances.

 

[baltcowboy]

If we have been rebuilding for years, we have been doing it wrong. There should be a lot more cap space readily available. It's not an age thing its just more of a cap reset. I guess they kind of go hand in hand in most instances.

The Cowboys have a philosophy when it comes to contracts. They like to restructure deals and push the cap hits back. The Cowboys don’t like to pay free agents from other teams. That will never change.