A word to the wise.

[Bulldog]

I am as excited as anyone about the lockout ending. But I do want to caution those on this board who expect the Cowboys to have Nnamdi, Huff, and a few others signed by Sunday. If this is you, prepare to be disappointed.

As I check this sight multiple times each day for any news about the end of the lockout, I am continually reading threads about how far over the cap the Cowboys are, followed by a thread by someone expecting the Cowboys to have 4 or 5 All-Pro free agents locked up within a day or two.

The Cowboys are somewhere between 19 - 20 million dollars over what is expected to be the cap this season. As Adam has stated, there are ways to get below the cap and still sign some players in free agency. One way is to restructure some contracts such as Romo, Ware, & Austin. This gets the Cowboys under the cap this season, but pushes the cap hit further down the road, but the piper will eventually get paid. This is called "Dead Money" and Jerry has made this mistake in the past and I don't believe that he will do it again.

I think some contracts will be restructured and some players will be cut, and some players will be signed. Most likely players such as Abe Elam and a couple of other mid level guys who are not on the radar. At the end of the day, I predict that the Cowboys roster will look very similar to the one that lined up on opening day last season, with only 2 or 3 new faces.

 

[rkell87]

I am as excited as anyone about the lockout ending. But I do want to caution those on this board who expect the Cowboys to have Nnamdi, Huff, and a few others signed by Sunday. If this is you, prepare to be disappointed.

As I check this sight multiple times each day for any news about the end of the lockout, I am continually reading threads about how far over the cap the Cowboys are, followed by a thread by someone expecting the Cowboys to have 4 or 5 All-Pro free agents locked up within a day or two.

The Cowboys are somewhere between 19 - 20 million dollars over what is expected to be the cap this season. As Adam has stated, there are ways to get below the cap and still sign some players in free agency. One way is to restructure some contracts such as Romo, Ware, & Austin. This gets the Cowboys under the cap this season, but pushes the cap hit further down the road, but the piper will eventually get paid. This is called "Dead Money" and Jerry has made this mistake in the past and I don't believe that he will do it again.

I think some contracts will be restructured and some players will be cut, and some players will be signed. Most likely players such as Abe Elam and a couple of other mid level guys who are not on the radar. At the end of the day, I predict that the Cowboys roster will look very similar to the one that lined up on opening day last season, with only 2 or 3 new faces.

we drafted 8 players, only 2 or 3 will make the roster?

 

[Rynie]

we drafted 8 players, only 2 or 3 will make the roster?

I think he meant excluding the draft picks?

 

[peplaw06]

I'm already preparing for the endless threads on why we haven't signed ________________ one hour into the free agency signing period. It happens every year. Can you imagine the angst on here when we only have a few days before camp starts and we haven't signed everyone yet?

Should be fun.

 

[rkell87]

I think he meant excluding the draft picks?

i know but he didnt say it so i thought i would be the first to point it out

 

[SaltwaterServr]

I am as excited as anyone about the lockout ending. But I do want to caution those on this board who expect the Cowboys to have Nnamdi, Huff, and a few others signed by Sunday. If this is you, prepare to be disappointed.

As I check this sight multiple times each day for any news about the end of the lockout, I am continually reading threads about how far over the cap the Cowboys are, followed by a thread by someone expecting the Cowboys to have 4 or 5 All-Pro free agents locked up within a day or two.

The Cowboys are somewhere between 19 - 20 million dollars over what is expected to be the cap this season. As Adam has stated, there are ways to get below the cap and still sign some players in free agency. One way is to restructure some contracts such as Romo, Ware, & Austin. This gets the Cowboys under the cap this season, but pushes the cap hit further down the road, but the piper will eventually get paid. This is called "Dead Money" and Jerry has made this mistake in the past and I don't believe that he will do it again.

I think some contracts will be restructured and some players will be cut, and some players will be signed. Most likely players such as Abe Elam and a couple of other mid level guys who are not on the radar. At the end of the day, I predict that the Cowboys roster will look very similar to the one that lined up on opening day last season, with only 2 or 3 new faces.

2 or 3 new faces?

You might have missed where there have been reports that there will be salary cap exceptions and that with just restructuring just the 3 deals mentioned we can save tons of cap space this year. The effective cap will be closer to 130 million and there are more deals that we can restructure if the player has sense enough to see the benefits of taking more money now than later.

But thanks for pissing in our Cheerios.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I we restructure players worth keeping long term (i.e. Romo, Austin, Ware) then the Cowboys easily free up the cap they need this season.

True, they push it forward into next season by restructuring, but then again, they won't have the big ontracts of a Roy Williams, Leonard Davis, or even Terrence Newman, for example, next season if they choose to release them or not renew them.

So removing those cap hits next season balances this shell gaqme out. So I'm not too concerned about the restructuring, especially since both Stephen (or was it Jerry) Jones and Jason Garrett came out and said they wojuld not be prohibited by the cap rules to keep or bring in the players thwy are targeting.

 

[JBS]

I've already seen this movie before

I don't want to watch it again

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I am as excited as anyone about the lockout ending. But I do want to caution those on this board who expect the Cowboys to have Nnamdi, Huff, and a few others signed by Sunday. If this is you, prepare to be disappointed.

As I check this sight multiple times each day for any news about the end of the lockout, I am continually reading threads about how far over the cap the Cowboys are, followed by a thread by someone expecting the Cowboys to have 4 or 5 All-Pro free agents locked up within a day or two.

The Cowboys are somewhere between 19 - 20 million dollars over what is expected to be the cap this season. As Adam has stated, there are ways to get below the cap and still sign some players in free agency. One way is to restructure some contracts such as Romo, Ware, & Austin. This gets the Cowboys under the cap this season, but pushes the cap hit further down the road, but the piper will eventually get paid. This is called "Dead Money" and Jerry has made this mistake in the past and I don't believe that he will do it again.

I think some contracts will be restructured and some players will be cut, and some players will be signed. Most likely players such as Abe Elam and a couple of other mid level guys who are not on the radar. At the end of the day, I predict that the Cowboys roster will look very similar to the one that lined up on opening day last season, with only 2 or 3 new faces.

I do agree with some of what you're saying, but I think we can likely sign 1 or 2 top level guys if we want. For starters, some contracts, like Miles Austin in particular were set up in a way to save $$$. He recieved no signing bonus and instead got it all in the first year as either a roster bonus or salary. So converting his huge salary into a signing bonus turns a very cheap contract, into an averege contract for a starting/pro-bowl wr. I don't have the details of Romo or Ware's contracts infront of me, but I believe they were also set up in anticipation of a situation like this, so they remain cap friendly down the road. Assuming that there is some sort of "june 1rst rule" and we can spread the cap hits of MBarber, MColombo, LDavis and TNewman (I'd rather keep him than pay the money needed to get Asamough) out and I think we'll be in great shape

 

[djmajestik]

I've already seen this movie before

I don't want to watch it again

Then why are you in the movie theater?

 

[Yeagermeister]

I'm already preparing for the endless threads on why we haven't signed ________________ one hour into the free agency signing period. It happens every year. Can you imagine the angst on here when we only have a few days before camp starts and we haven't signed everyone yet?

Should be fun.

Yeap....same thing different season :

 

[Stash]

It will never go exactly the way many of us had hoped for.

But it will certainly give us something to talk about - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

[Yeagermeister]

It will never go exactly the way many of us had hoped for.

But it will certainly give us something to talk about - the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We talk about bbgun everyday. Why should this make any difference?

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I already have my "let's get" Mankins, Huff and Asomugha threads written and ready to post.

 

[HoosierCowboy]

already signed our biggest pickups and they don't count against the cap--Red and Ryan

 

[Sandyf]

First off, no one in the media really knows how much we are over the cap nor do they know what the real cap number is for each team. There are credits and exemption that will apply to every team.

As to Dallas, the best guess is that our current salary cost as it stands before anything is $136 million, best guess is the cap before credits and exemptions is going to be $122.8 million, best guess with credits and exemptions is $130.9 million. Compiles from some 24 sites and averaged.

Romo, Witten, Austin and Ware have all said they will renegotiated their contract to free up cap money. How much is only speculation at the moment.

Will we resign Free, Bowen, Spears, Kosier and Sensabaugh? Probably 3 or 4 of them. IMO, Sensabaugh won't be one of them.

Will we cut Barber, Davis, Colombo, and Newman? Probably will cut based on who we go after in free agency except in Barber's case where I believe he will be an outright cut. We cut Newman if we sign Asomugha, we cut Davis if we sign a Davin Joseph, etc.

Will we go after a couple of safeties? Yes, who is again just speculation but if Ryan is involved with the decision then you have to think that Huff and Elam top the list. Weddle might be there also because Ryan is familiar with his play.

Will we go after other FA types that may be less expensive? Probably, Eric Wright at CB comes to mind. Even Barrett Rudd at ILB could (remember could) be a target.

We aren't going to sign anyone this weekend because free agency won't even start until July 28th if (IF) the CBA is signed this week.

The media loves to stir things up but the reality is they don't know much more than any of us.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I already have my "let's get" Mankins, Huff and Asomugha threads written and ready to post.

Thanks for the warning. I'll be on the lookout for them.

 

[big dog cowboy]

already signed our biggest pickups and they don't count against the cap--Red and Ryan

Nice.

I concur.

 

[sureletsrace]

already signed our biggest pickups and they don't count against the cap--Red and Ryan

Post of the year, quoted for truth.

 

[popcorn]

How much cap relief would it be to cut leonard Davis(LAZY), Barber(Over rated), R Williams(Under achiever), Columbo(way past his prime)?