It comes to $145.099M, actually.
And there are 46 players under contract for 2014, not 56.
The team will need to restructure several contracts next off-season. Tony Romo and Demarcus Ware will create $19M in room. Sean Lee, Brandon Carr and Jason Witten can create another $12M.
These five restructures would drop the estimated 2014 cap number to $114.099M.
If Miles Austin is designated as a June release, that will add another $5.5M when it takes effect (June).
The current unadjusted cap is $123M, it will probably go up a couple of million in 2014 and the team will carry over any unused space from this season as well (it won't be much, though).
I know some fans really start biting their nails when the topic of pushing more guaranteed money into future years with new signing bonuses comes up, but that's what's on the menu for 2014.
Doing this would add just over $8M per season to future caps in 2015-18.
That's OK.
The team won't need to restructure bunches of contracts in 2015, Romo is the only one I'm expecting (create $10.3M).
Overthecap includes Doug Free ($11.02M) in its projection.
Free's renegotiated contract will void following the conclusion of the 2014, so he will count $3.98M in dead money in 2015 instead of the $11.02M that overthecap shows. That will save $7.04M, Austin will save $4.531M and Bernadeau will save $3.25M.
Right now, the '15 cap commitment is $124.693M. I'm adding $8M for the contract restructures I did in '14.
That brings it up to $132.693M.
Romo's contract will be restructured again (create $10.3M) to go along with the room saved on Free, Austin and Bernadeau ($14.821M), bringing the '15 cap number down to $107.572M.
I know some big extensions are coming, but that's still a good bit of wiggle room.
Remember, the team usually designs new deals to count less in the early years to help with the cap. Dez and company shouldn't take up a lot of cap space until many of the current big money deals are off the books.
The team can almost always find a way to get a deal done, but Jason Hatcher might need to take a home team discount if he wants to finish his career in Big D.
Demarcus Ware would really have to struggle with injuries all season before he would be asked to take a pay cut, IMO.
I expect his deal will be restructured, again, in 2014.
The BTB writer, KD Drummond, is dead wrong about Ware never having his deal restructured.
It's a yearly occurrence.
Ware's deal was been redone in 2011, '12 and '13, the last time it wasn't fiddled with was 2010, the uncapped season.
It isn't an issue with me because Ware has ginormous base salaries every year.
That means the team can create $13M or more by designating Ware as a June release in '15 or '16, should the need arise.
I'm a huge Miles Austin fan, but he needs to start producing big time if he wants to remain a Cowboy next season, IMO.
The team can create $5.5M in cap room by designating Smiles as a June release in 2014. Given his injuries, future cap numbers and the current play of rookie Terrance Williams, soph Cole Beasley and 3rd yr Dwayne Harris, it screams to turn the page on Austin next year.
Williams will be 25 next year, so there's every reason to let him become a starter ASAP. He should be competing with Austin for snaps right now.
Jason Garrett has always wanted a veteran back-up quarterback, so I'm leaving Kyle Orton alone.
I'm keeping Jermey Parnell, he's the swing tackle until Darrion Weems or someone else comes along and dethrones him.
Phil Costa and Justin Durant will save $2.75M in '14, which would drop the cap commitment next year to $111.349 along with the restructures discussed at the top of the post.
Mackenzy Bernadeau makes for a better game day reserve than Costa, so I'd give him the chance to take a pay cut and remain part of the team in 2014.
Berny has a $2.75M base salary next year. I'd offer $1.25M, a reduction of $1.5M (which is what Costa is set to make). I'd say take the pay cut and Costa is gone instead of you.
That would bring the '14 cap down to $109.849M (not counting Austin's $5.5M, which would come in June).
Romo's deal is designed to be restructured in '14 and '15, and I expect it to happen barring career ending injury.
The team would want to until 2017 (save $3.3M or $14M in June) to cut Romo, but it could be done as soon as 2016 using the June tag (recoup $8.5M but eat $19.6M in '17).
If B.W. Webb is legit, Orlando Scandrick could face the axe in '15 (save $3.498M or $5m in June). The team shouldn't need to cut Scan, cap room should be fine, it would simply come down to Webb pushing him out the door.
Free's contract will void following the '14 season.
Brandon Carr will be fine unless his play falls off drastically.
The same goes for Senator Witten.
