A vote to sign/keep free agents is a vote to keep Dak long-term

[Sandyf]

That's like 30 mil right?

26 million

 

[Sandyf]

Right now the projected salary cap for 2025 is 277 million and Dallas is projected to have 83 million in salary cap space before Lamb and/or Parsons extension and exactly no QB on the roster as Dak, Lance and Rush are free agents after this season.

 

[gimmesix]

Which players/contracts?

It has to come from a player with a significant base salary that can be converted to a restructure bonus.
- There must be additional years on the contract in order to spread out the bonus.

Diggs is the biggest one with cap savings of 6M with a restructure.

This is the last year on DLaw's contract.

They've already restructured Zack Martin by spreading his cap hit out over 4 void years.
- There will be a 26.46M cap hit for ZM in 2025 if he does not return.

Re-signing Lamb also would clear up space, reducing his hit by $7 million to $10 million. Steele, Diggs and Wilson might make the most sense for restructures.

 

[plymkr]

1. Dak realizes he could look really bad on this team and requests a trade. Dallas agrees and unloads some of his cap at the same time
Win-win

That’s what I’m hoping for

 

[tm1119]

Which players/contracts?

It has to come from a player with a significant base salary that can be converted to a restructure bonus.
- There must be additional years on the contract in order to spread out the bonus.

Diggs is the biggest one with cap savings of 6M with a restructure.

This is the last year on DLaw's contract.

They've already restructured Zack Martin by spreading his cap hit out over 4 void years.
- There will be a 26.46M cap hit for ZM in 2025 if he does not return.

DLaw (void year allows restructure), Steele and Wilson saves about $13ish mil. + Diggs and we would have about $20M.

Can also stop dragging their feet on an inevitable CeeDee extension to save another 11ish.

Plus there’s $ coming post June 1st from Gallup with no worrries about signing rookies.

 

[baltcowboy]

I think the Cowboys are rebuilding. They have trimmed the.fat off the roster and are making the big 3 earn their extensions. Half the media is saying Dak will be resigned, while the other half says he will be a free agent. It’s funny that the Cowboys got rid of a bunch of JAGs that now that makes the Cowboys bad. We will see.

 

[xwalker]

DLaw (void year allows restructure), Steele and Wilson saves about $13ish mil. + Diggs and we would have about $20M.

Can also stop dragging their feet on an inevitable CeeDee extension to save another 11ish.

Plus there’s $ coming post June 1st from Gallup with no worrries about signing rookies.

As of now, they have 74M in dead-money cap hits at the beginning of the 2025 season due to Dak, Martin and DLaw leaving as free agents.
- The void years all accelerate into immediate cap hits (i.e. No June 1st relief).

 

[tm1119]

As of now, they have 74M in dead-money cap hits at the beginning of the 2025 season due to Dak, Martin and DLaw leaving as free agents.
- The void years all accelerate into immediate cap hits (i.e. No June 1st relief).

I know, I know…we’re terrified of getting into “cap hell” because of the unimaginable horror of being stuck with a team that can’t make it out of the 2nd round. Could you imagine??

Not to mention that those dead $ numbers are meaningless if those 3 leave. The team will be bad and we’ll have a rookie/cheap qb. The fact is that we are seemingly about to rebuild a team that the front office never made a legit attempt to win with. You’re supposed to rebuild after actually go all in. Not when you’re off season plan is to continuously shrug your shoulders and say “maybe next year will be different.”

 

[xwalker]

I know, I know…we’re terrified of getting into “cap hell” because of the unimaginable horror of being stuck with a team that can’t make it out of the 2nd round. Could you imagine??

Not to mention that those dead $ numbers are meaningless if those 3 leave. The team will be bad and we’ll have a rookie/cheap qb. The fact is that we are seemingly about to rebuild a team that the front office never made a legit attempt to win with. You’re supposed to rebuild after actually go all in. Not when you’re off season plan is to continuously shrug your shoulders and say “maybe next year will be different.”

I don't really know the answer to "what should they have done?"

My general feeling is that Dak could win is the defense and running game are elite; however, the chance of that happening while paying his salary seems very limited.

The Cowboys with Dak don't fit the model of either team that was in this past Super Bowl.
KC: Uber elite, big contract QB. Go cheap at some other positions (traded away their top WR due to cost issues).
SF: Cheap QB (less than 1M aveage salary) and sign/keep expensive players at other positions.

Dak is a mid-tier QB but his contract is similar to Mahomes contract and a new contract for Dak will be more per season than the current Mahomes contract.

I would just trade Dak after June 1st and start Trey Lance.
- During/after training camp, trade for a player or two to solidify the weakest position(s).
- Prior to the draft, I don't know which position is the biggest need.

 

[kskboys]

Dak's current cap hit is 55.5 million.

They don't have cap space to sign/keep free agents because they have not re-signed Dak.

If you want to move on from Dak, then be happy that they have not re-signed him and therefore happy that they have not signed/kept free agents.

They could create some cap space by re-structuring his current contract to push money into the 2025 and 2026 dummy years.
- If they do that, then there will be a 58M dead-money cap hit in 2025 if Dak leaves as a free agent.
- The 2026 money accelerates into 2025 if he leaves in 2025 (June 1st concept not possible in this situation).

Options (as of now):
1. Dak sucks in the playoffs and leaves via free agency.
2. Dak makes it to the Super Bowl. They have the option to re-sign him.
3. Trey Lance is awesome in during preseason in McCarthy's offense.
- 3a. They trade Dak and Trey Lance is the 2024 starter.
- 3b. Dak is the starter in 2024 and Trey Lance becomes the starter in 2025.

Good point.

 

[kskboys]

I forgot Dak is the only person that plays for the Cowboys and only his contract can be restructured…

It’s well documented that Cowboys could have made more than enough cap room to make sensible free agent signings without ever touching Dak’s contract. This is just lazy thinking that the Jones’ love because it excuses their ineptitude/lack of care. Get everyone afraid of the big bad cap monster to cover up that they own the most valuable sports franchise on earth and still spend less than 90% of the rest of the league.

Wouldn't have been easy and would've made it take even longer for us to have a championship spot.

 

[tm1119]

I don't really know the answer to "what should they have done?"

My general feeling is that Dak could win is the defense and running game are elite; however, the chance of that happening while paying his salary seems very limited.

The Cowboys with Dak don't fit the model of either team that was in this past Super Bowl.
KC: Uber elite, big contract QB. Go cheap at some other positions (traded away their top WR due to cost issues).
SF: Cheap QB (less than 1M aveage salary) and sign/keep expensive players at other positions.

Dak is a mid-tier QB but his contract is similar to Mahomes contract and a new contract for Dak will be more per season than the current Mahomes contract.

I would just trade Dak after June 1st and start Trey Lance.
- During/after training camp, trade for a player or two to solidify the weakest position(s).
- Prior to the draft, I don't know which position is the biggest need.

My point was that Dak and his contract are simply a scapegoat. The 1 and only problem is the people running the team. There were opportunities this year and every year and they simply chose to not take them…or are just too inept too.

 

[jgboys1]

Dak's current cap hit is 55.5 million.

They don't have cap space to sign/keep free agents because they have not re-signed Dak.

If you want to move on from Dak, then be happy that they have not re-signed him and therefore happy that they have not signed/kept free agents.

They could create some cap space by re-structuring his current contract to push money into the 2025 and 2026 dummy years.
- If they do that, then there will be a 58M dead-money cap hit in 2025 if Dak leaves as a free agent.
- The 2026 money accelerates into 2025 if he leaves in 2025 (June 1st concept not possible in this situation).

Options (as of now):
1. Dak sucks in the playoffs and leaves via free agency.
2. Dak makes it to the Super Bowl. They have the option to re-sign him.
3. Trey Lance is awesome in during preseason in McCarthy's offense.
- 3a. They trade Dak and Trey Lance is the 2024 starter.
- 3b. Dak is the starter in 2024 and Trey Lance becomes the starter in 2025.

I am good with any choice from category C!

 

[Zekeats]

So, they are going to eat almost $60 million on the cap for a player not on the team in 2025 if Dak walks???

I guess they are following the Denver model of team rebuilding

Why does he count towards 2025 if he is playing out his contract this season? Im confused about that one. Either way, let him leave and have a real team in 3-4 years with a chance to win. Cee Dee and Parsons will still be in prime years.

 

[Jimbo123]

Dak's current cap hit is 55.5 million.

They don't have cap space to sign/keep free agents because they have not re-signed Dak.

If you want to move on from Dak, then be happy that they have not re-signed him and therefore happy that they have not signed/kept free agents.

They could create some cap space by re-structuring his current contract to push money into the 2025 and 2026 dummy years.
- If they do that, then there will be a 58M dead-money cap hit in 2025 if Dak leaves as a free agent.
- The 2026 money accelerates into 2025 if he leaves in 2025 (June 1st concept not possible in this situation).

Options (as of now):
1. Dak sucks in the playoffs and leaves via free agency.
2. Dak makes it to the Super Bowl. They have the option to re-sign him.
3. Trey Lance is awesome in during preseason in McCarthy's offense.
- 3a. They trade Dak and Trey Lance is the 2024 starter.
- 3b. Dak is the starter in 2024 and Trey Lance becomes the starter in 2025.

4. Trey Lance is awful in the preseason like he was last year, Dak demands 4yr/$62M.

 

[Jimbo123]

If Dak isn't resigned 2025 Starting QB will be Jimmy Garoppolo or Zack Wilson

 

[Cowboyny]

Dak's current cap hit is 55.5 million.

They don't have cap space to sign/keep free agents because they have not re-signed Dak.

If you want to move on from Dak, then be happy that they have not re-signed him and therefore happy that they have not signed/kept free agents.

They could create some cap space by re-structuring his current contract to push money into the 2025 and 2026 dummy years.
- If they do that, then there will be a 58M dead-money cap hit in 2025 if Dak leaves as a free agent.
- The 2026 money accelerates into 2025 if he leaves in 2025 (June 1st concept not possible in this situation).

Options (as of now):
1. Dak sucks in the playoffs and leaves via free agency.
2. Dak makes it to the Super Bowl. They have the option to re-sign him.
3. Trey Lance is awesome in during preseason in McCarthy's offense.
- 3a. They trade Dak and Trey Lance is the 2024 starter.
- 3b. Dak is the starter in 2024 and Trey Lance becomes the starter in 2025.

Either you resign all three Dak, Lamb, Parsons or you have a firesale and load up with picks. Could always go into next season with Lance,Rush and a developmental guy

 

[KingCorcoran]

Dak's current cap hit is 55.5 million.

They don't have cap space to sign/keep free agents because they have not re-signed Dak.

If you want to move on from Dak, then be happy that they have not re-signed him and therefore happy that they have not signed/kept free agents.

They could create some cap space by re-structuring his current contract to push money into the 2025 and 2026 dummy years.
- If they do that, then there will be a 58M dead-money cap hit in 2025 if Dak leaves as a free agent.
- The 2026 money accelerates into 2025 if he leaves in 2025 (June 1st concept not possible in this situation).

Options (as of now):
1. Dak sucks in the playoffs and leaves via free agency.
2. Dak makes it to the Super Bowl. They have the option to re-sign him.
3. Trey Lance is awesome in during preseason in McCarthy's offense.
- 3a. They trade Dak and Trey Lance is the 2024 starter.
- 3b. Dak is the starter in 2024 and Trey Lance becomes the starter in 2025.

The “option” to re-sign is Dak’s, not the team’s. He should get away from the Cowboys. Dallas’ ownership is not very good at building an NFL roster.

 

[HungryLion]

4. Trade Lance pre-draft 2024, pick up a much needed 4th round pick, use 4th right pick to draft an Olineman who becomes a starter and helps the team right now and for years to come.

What’s the odds of hitting on a ready to start OL in the 4th round. Like 2%?

 

[America's Cowboy]

What’s the odds of hitting on a ready to start OL in the 4th round. Like 2%?

Depends if you know what you're looking at. There certainly are several nuggets to be found in the middle rounds.