Contract/Cap trouble on the horizon?

[Chuck 54]

Paying Dak and our stars is not a problem. It’s Al in how the contracts are structured. Guys don’t all count big against the cap at the same time. So far, Dak hasn’t even had a big cap hit yet.

You only get yourself into cap trouble when you pay aging players huge money that they will not earn, or when you pay stars big money when they play positions that don’t make the impact on wins as much as you think….like RB, C, etc. Or when you give a guy huge guarantees and he suffers a career ending injury.

You just have to draft well when your stars are past their peak. It hurts because they may still be above average, but you cannot give them top money even if a draft pick or vet FA will be a step down. Unless they take a cheap and short vet deal, guys like Tyron, Zack, Hankins, DLaw, LVE, Hooker, Gilmore cannot be given another contract. Dak has to be extended at this point in time, but even though QBs can play longer, that should be his final deal while we seek the next guy. He’d have to win a SB and still be playing well to be kept longer, in my opinion.

We paid Diggs and must pay Bland, Tyler Smith, Micah, O’Diggy (modestly), and Lamb. There’s actually no one else I can think of who deserves a decent contract in the next two years. Everyone else can be replaced if they won’t sign a reasonable deal.

 

[Reid1boys]

Paying Dak and our stars is not a problem. It’s Al in how the contracts are structured. Guys don’t all count big against the cap at the same time. So far, Dak hasn’t even had a big cap hit yet.

You only get yourself into cap trouble when you pay aging players huge money that they will not earn, or when you pay stars big money when they play positions that don’t make the impact on wins as much as you think….like RB, C, etc. Or when you give a guy huge guarantees and he suffers a career ending injury.

You just have to draft well when your stars are past their peak. It hurts because they may still be above average, but you cannot give them top money even if a draft pick or vet FA will be a step down. Unless they take a cheap and short vet deal, guys like Tyron, Zack, Hankins, DLaw, LVE, Hooker, Gilmore cannot be given another contract. Dak has to be extended at this point in time, but even though QBs can play longer, that should be his final deal while we seek the next guy. He’d have to win a SB and still be playing well to be kept longer, in my opinion.

We paid Diggs and must pay Bland, Tyler Smith, Micah, O’Diggy (modestly), and Lamb. There’s actually no one else I can think of who deserves a decent contract in the next two years. Everyone else can be replaced if they won’t sign a reasonable deal.

If Tyron continues playings as he is and doesnt miss games.... hes as good a LT in the game.... yes, even today. You keep him around if he doesnt miss games.

 

[plasticman]

When are quarterback contracts going to be "devalued"?

 

[T-RO]

At what point do these contracts break the camels back?

It's gonna start hurting this next twelve months.

 

[Hadenough]

even if they do exit in the divisional rd, if Dak finishes like hes playing now, that is gonna be a 5 year 275+ million dollar deal.

And 5 more years of miserable heartbreaking playoff losses and wasted careers. I would hope Parsons holds out to be traded. Parsons just doesn't fit the mold of a Dallas Cowboys team. He is ruthless and tough.

 

[LovinItAll]

So when you draft players, you hope they work out and give you a reason to give them that second contract. But what happens when it works out in Spades? Dak's people are smiling big time right now. He demanded a 4 year deal last contract specifically for the scenario that has developed.

QB pay played out as they wanted. Burrow got paid, Mahomes, Herbert.... they all struck gold. Now Dak is having possibly his best season ever. If Dak continues playing at this level what is his extension going to look like? Im thinking it would look like burrow at the minimum 5 year 275 million? Dak will be 31 years old after the 24 season when that deal expires, so Im guessing they will not want a 4 year deal, but will want to maximize this current contract as it is likely his last when he will hold all the bargaining power, no? Do they go for a 5 year 300 million deal?

Right in there with Dak you now have Cee Dee about to get paid. Whats his deal gonna look like? Then right behind that we got Parsons deal coming and we all know that is gonna likely be the highest paid defensive contract in history.

Oh.... at one point I was positive this was Tyron Smith's last season in Dallas. Uhm.... have you all been paying attention to what he is doing? Isnt he in the last year of his current deal? If he finishes the season actually on the field, we will give him another contract.

At what point do these contracts break the camels back?

It's probably not a popular opinion, but get Dak signed early to his next deal, ideally as soon as the season ends. It'll probably look something like $50MM over 4-5 years. Seems like a ton of money, but it would 5th in the league as of this moment. By the time the 2024 season ends, that number will barely crack the top 10. I'm not in the camp of 'Dak should take a discount', but wouldn't it be nice if he did? In fact, $50MM might look like a discount, but $45MM would send a message to his teammates. Would some of them then take team-friendly deals? I wouldn't, but who knows, he could get $60MM. That would hurt.

It would be REALLY nice to continue hitting on draft picks, and there's no reason to believe we won't with McClay still in the building. O-line will be an issue with Martin at 33 and Tyron, even if stays healthy somehow, at 32. Losing Frederick still stings, but health before football. He's 32 right now. While it's always nice to have depth, our defense is looking pretty stout right now, with obvious needs on the offensive side of the ball at RB and o-line (developmentally, at least). No more 1st or 2nd round RBs, though, unless and absolute stud falls into our laps (even then.....).

Can we give props to picking Bland and his cheap contract through 2025? Deals like that help SO much.

Dallas gets the talent on the field. Two 12-5 seasons and it looks like they have the coaching right, especially with Quinn, who I think stays because he likes his job and JJ will pay him HC money. McCarthy? While I wasn't a fan of MM as the selection for HC, he's winning, so the only thing missing is a playoff run. Posting 12-5 is never going to get him canned no matter what happens in the playoffs, but an NFCCG appearance would be welcomed by fans and ownership alike. Yes, we all want to win SBs, I'm just sayin'. I still feel like we were robbed in the 'Dez no catch' game, and I have nightmares over Rodgers completing that 3rd and a 20. That's two trips (probably) to the NFCCG that we missed by a (fill in the blank....it's a family-friendly site).

Go Cowboys!!

 

[Hadenough]

Dak's people should be smiling but it's what they'll be doing at the end of the season that matters. Jerry may be frowning

Jerry should be looking at how Josh Dobbs has done every bit as good as Cousins.

 

[DuncanIso]

2024 cap already in the hole.

And that’s with the 10.5 million carry over from the 2023 cap.

Someone isn’t getting mega millions next season. (Dak)

 

[Steve007]

Not really if Daniel Jones is making $42 million that's not elite money anymore, most qbs ahead of daks $$ aren doping squat either.. that's just simple quarterback market money,

that's not why he's taking the heat... The allged heat comes from fans who are clueless and you already said what clueless fans say,

you act like he is the one that created the atmosphere in which he didn't play well against San Francisco and we have to go back and judge the offensive line the lack of a run game the **** **** play calling and the bad game plans... oh and the defense not that great in game one in 2021 against San Francisco they were giving up 10 yards per carry in the first half, I don't care they kept the score down they gave up too much time and possession on long scoring drives like they have all year this year they have not changed this is not a championship defense.​

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Trayvon diggs missed two key plays last year that could have really made this a different game but the one common thing in every game in the playoffs that we've lost 2018,2021, and 20/22 was the offensive line and the lack of a run game period we are one-dimensional and niners are able to get to our quarterback and stop the run on most plays with a four man line they're playing Max coverage on the back end what exactly is the quarterback supposed to do stevo?? You act like this is a one man show it is not a one man show it is a team game show me the rest of the team playing well against the 49ers in Prescott the only one that didn't show up it was not meant to answer because we all know it's rhetorical we have not come with a strong physical line and a good run game in quite a long time you know the things that Troy and Roger got you know better coaching better lines better run game not asking one player they do it all...​

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Pretty common false narrative that Prescott played bad in the playoffs in fact he will play better if he actually has an offense that shows up with him... Anybody who thinks differently really doesn't understand the moving parts that football has that creates the team environment in bigger games you're not gonna beat the best teams in the league with 14 penalties and no run game an inconsistent defense offensive line not giving him any time and then your weapons are not getting open and you don't even have time to look at your second and third reads because the pressure is in your face that is exactly what's happened against the 49ers the last 3 games.. They simply are a better team and that's that whenever our team shows up as a unit and plays better and plays complimentary football we can win those games​

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and by the way this isn't new look at this year most of the last five games we hadn't had a strong run game Prescott able to win without a lot of help it's just been CD lamb and Prescott playing Sandlot football and he's running around and the lines not playing well in the run games out there but he can do that against these bad teams but what he needs against the better teams, is a better team..crazy concept huh?​

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I don't wanna hear the nonsense about contracts and money and expectations and whether you're considered a leak or paid a leak that's straight up garbage the whole team is paid to come play including the coaches and they're not showing up against the Niners against Philly they made too many mistakes and then you gotta add in the referees there's a lot more going on than just the quarterback​

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OK SteveO!!​

Just wait until next year. You guys will be whining that Dak doesn't have a good enough O-Line or weapons. Dak's cap hit next year is 60 million. This season Daks cap hit is 26million. The FO will restructure the contract and kick the can down the road, but the cap hit will still be higher.

 

[blueblood70]

Just wait until next year. You guys will be whining that Dak doesn't have a good enough O-Line or weapons. Dak's cap hit next year is 60 million. This season Daks cap hit is 26million. The FO will restructure the contract and kick the can down the road, but the cap hit will still be higher.

First of all don't lump me into some group you think you guys who's you guys are you not a fan of the Dallas Cowboys you think they should cut a top ten quarterback just because of his cap hit again had you looked around the NFL there are dudes that make way more money than Prescott regardless of his cap hit and somehow teams still are able to put together a competitive roster..

The cap goes up every year and I believe we have a lot of professionals up there at the ranch or I should say the star now they know what they're doing they don't need fans to help them plan ahead and if they need to pay him 60 million they will but most likely he's getting an extension they'll rework that contract and they'll kick the can down the road like everybody else does... Massaging the cap is just part of business now...

It's ridiculous how much fans just seem to get involved with contracts and money worrying about the cap no that's not how it works you follow the team whatever team gets put on the field but somehow you'd rather watch the cat and cut a quarterback and go with a worse quarterback just So what you be happier that we are managing the cat better but got worse as a team?

And by the way I mean yeah you see it the chiefs they they're not as strong as they used to be because they're having to make decisions,​

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it's gonna happen to every team but the great thing about the Dallas Cowboys they're one of the best drafting teams in the NFL...​

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so they can replace players with younger cheaper versions and hope to keep it going they just are not and really never have been big players in the first week of free agency they're not overpaying guys like Von Miller are all the other dudes who really haven't made that much of an impact IMHO​

​

those dudes are really good but the difference between what they cost and replacing them with a younger or middle version or an even aging veteran on the third week of free agency it's just how you have to build your roster nowadays and there isn't a huge gap between a lot of those guys, it's why teams are willing to let them go...​

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

People here look at the jarbled mess Philadelphia has made of its cap with millions with multiple players prorated into years long after the contract is up and fawn over its brilliance. I’m not going to stress over Dak’s contract… he’s earned every penny he gets!!

Why it works for Philadelphia is we not only create cap problems, we prepare for them. We can let Zach Ertz go because we had Dallas Goedert. We can let Javon Hargrave walk because we can get Jalen Carter. We can say goodbye to Miles Sanders who was our first 1000 yard rusher since Shady, and then turn around and get Swift. We can lose CJGJ and then go and get Kevin Byard. We were prepared to lose Bradberry and/or Slay but those ended up working themselves out. Isaac Seumalo who started on both SB Olines; TJ Edwards who set the team record in tackles last year and is sorely needed on the 2023 team; Malcolm Jenkins who was a crushing loss when he left. Steven Nelson who’s now one of the leading playmakers on a resurgent Texans team. We’ve leaked more talent than any other team I can think of.

Is Dallas prepared to eventually let Tyler Smith walk? Daron Bland? CeeDee Lamb? Micah? You can’t pay them all, not even Philly can pay them all. You have to accept that down the road many are not returning, and prepare for that. Draft well, have more cap casualties. Thats the parity.

 

[gtb1943]

Why it works for Philadelphia is we not only create cap problems, we prepare for them. We can let Zach Ertz go because we had Dallas Goedert. We can let Javon Hargrave walk because we can get Jalen Carter. We can say goodbye to Miles Sanders who was our first 1000 yard rusher since Shady, and then turn around and get Swift. We can lose CJGJ and then go and get Kevin Byard. We were prepared to lose Bradberry and/or Slay but those ended up working themselves out. Isaac Seumalo who started on both SB Olines; TJ Edwards who set the team record in tackles last year and is sorely needed on the 2023 team; Malcolm Jenkins who was a crushing loss when he left. We’ve leaked more talent than any other team I can think of.

Is Dallas prepared to eventually let Tyler Smith walk? Daron Bland? CeeDee Lamb? Micah? You can’t pay them all, not even Philly can pay them all. You have to accept that down the road many are not returning, and prepare for that. Draft well, have more cap casualties. Thats the parity.

and better use of FA is another area that the birds are ahead of Dallas

 

[TwistedL0g1k]

Why it works for Philadelphia is we not only create cap problems, we prepare for them. We can let Zach Ertz go because we had Dallas Goedert. We can let Javon Hargrave walk because we can get Jalen Carter. We can say goodbye to Miles Sanders who was our first 1000 yard rusher since Shady, and then turn around and get Swift. We can lose CJGJ and then go and get Kevin Byard. We were prepared to lose Bradberry and/or Slay but those ended up working themselves out. Isaac Seumalo who started on both SB Olines; TJ Edwards who set the team record in tackles last year and is sorely needed on the 2023 team; Malcolm Jenkins who was a crushing loss when he left. Steven Nelson who’s now one of the leading playmakers on a resurgent Texans team. We’ve leaked more talent than any other team I can think of.

Is Dallas prepared to eventually let Tyler Smith walk? Daron Bland? CeeDee Lamb? Micah? You can’t pay them all, not even Philly can pay them all. You have to accept that down the road many are not returning, and prepare for that. Draft well, have more cap casualties. Thats the parity.

Excellent post.

 

[Steve007]

First of all don't lump me into some group you think you guys who's you guys are you not a fan of the Dallas Cowboys you think they should cut a top ten quarterback just because of his cap hit again had you looked around the NFL there are dudes that make way more money than Prescott regardless of his cap hit and somehow teams still are able to put together a competitive roster..

The cap goes up every year and I believe we have a lot of professionals up there at the ranch or I should say the star now they know what they're doing they don't need fans to help them plan ahead and if they need to pay him 60 million they will but most likely he's getting an extension they'll rework that contract and they'll kick the can down the road like everybody else does... Massaging the cap is just part of business now...

It's ridiculous how much fans just seem to get involved with contracts and money worrying about the cap no that's not how it works you follow the team whatever team gets put on the field but somehow you'd rather watch the cat and cut a quarterback and go with a worse quarterback just So what you be happier that we are managing the cat better but got worse as a team?

And by the way I mean yeah you see it the chiefs they they're not as strong as they used to be because they're having to make decisions,​

​

it's gonna happen to every team but the great thing about the Dallas Cowboys they're one of the best drafting teams in the NFL...​

​

so they can replace players with younger cheaper versions and hope to keep it going they just are not and really never have been big players in the first week of free agency they're not overpaying guys like Von Miller are all the other dudes who really haven't made that much of an impact IMHO​

​

those dudes are really good but the difference between what they cost and replacing them with a younger or middle version or an even aging veteran on the third week of free agency it's just how you have to build your roster nowadays and there isn't a huge gap between a lot of those guys, it's why teams are willing to let them go...​

I just pointed out the problem the cowboys have with the cap. I'm not saying cut Dak. They can't and wont. I'm telling you they made a mistake with his contract and they will do it again. Fans pay attention to the cap because it affects how the team can build and compete for a Superbowl. The chiefs aren't as strong after Mahomes got the big contract, but he is better than Dak. If you pay your QB the big contract he better be able to carry a team with less talent.

 

[Kwyn]

No. I meant that Dak could have been signed to a shorter term deal before wentz. Would have been cheaper than what we paid and would have been up before now for the next contract. Would it have been cheaper… Who knows. At some point (maybe this time) he will want that last big contract that’s a longer term deal. I don’t care for the way they deal. Agents having players hold out surgeries or holding out early for a contract but the owners aren’t any better.

They have actually saved money, so far, doing it their way over what we all clamored for previously. Has we done it the other way, he would have been resigned last year and would be the highest paid QB in the league up there with Burrow.

Folks are always looking to get these deals finished and “over” as soon as possible but that’s never been the teams plan. They aren’t looking for that. They plan to keep him.

 

[blueblood70]

I just pointed out the problem the cowboys have with the cap. I'm not saying cut Dak. They can't and wont. I'm telling you they made a mistake with his contract and they will do it again. Fans pay attention to the cap because it affects how the team can build and compete for a Superbowl. The chiefs aren't as strong after Mahomes got the big contract, but he is better than Dak. If you pay your QB the big contract he better be able to carry a team with less talent.

And I'm telling you delusional Patrick mahomes is probably the best quarterback in the league and one of the only ones that possibly can carry a team without a lot of talent around him however again nine other quarterbacks make as much or more than Prescott that means it's the market it's what teams do if they wanna keep a quarterback like Prescott if they even wanna be competitive it is not Jerry it is not just the Dallas Cowboys these quarterbacks also can't carry the team without talent around them but are all paying big time money to the rest of their QB and will all face challenges that means pretty much the top 12 teams that make the playoffs I know 14 do with the two extra wild cards but let's just keep it at 12 ten of them have quarterbacks that make as much or more then Prescott and somehow they're going to have to deal with it just like we are you want to throw away Prescott because of the cap and then what we will take a giant step back we will go from the top six or seven teams that end the year in the playoffs and then fall back to a 500 team fighting to be in that line on the right that says in the hunt probably not even as good as that...

The reality of professional football is the hard salary cap but also how much you have to pay a top ten quarterback if you want to stay competitive that's what you have to do saying it's a mistake is the most ridiculous thing I've heard it is what you pay... Or you're probably going to end up in bad shape and then that would take three years to get into the top five to even pick a quarterback who even have a half a chance of being better than Prescott on a rookie contract it very rarely happens... So if you're one of those fans that wanna worry about contracts and salary cap and you'd rather be bad for the next five years to get rid of a top ten quarterback with the slightest window open on a crack to finish this thing off you can go live in that little fantasy world of yours and I'm gonna sit here and I'm gonna trust that the front office as a whole and as a group they'll have this all worked out but they understand we might need two more years with Prescott to finish what we've started you don't throw that away because you think you can do better... That turf is not greener on the other side in fact it could blow your ACL out in a heartbeat or let's say your Achilles lol

why do I mention that because there are teams that spent decades looking for a replacement quarterback and when they couldn't they had to go out and get guys not only at a steep draft capital price but also pay them that would be deshaun Watson Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers today him a few others are paying other guys 35 million just so they could barely break 500 this is what the quarterback reality is... At least with Prescott and maybe you ought to keep yourself in a fantasy close your eyes picture this act like we need a really good quarterback and that way you're gonna pay the price for Prescott without having to give up the draft picks that the Browns and The Jets in Denver did just to get a guy on the same level as Prescott, at least we did have to give up the draft picks

 

[Steve007]

And I'm telling you delusional Patrick mahomes is probably the best quarterback in the league and one of the only ones that possibly can carry a team without a lot of talent around him however again nine other quarterbacks make as much or more than Prescott that means it's the market it's what teams do if they wanna keep a quarterback like Prescott if they even wanna be competitive it is not Jerry it is not just the Dallas Cowboys these quarterbacks also can't carry the team without talent around them but are all paying big time money to the rest of their QB and will all face challenges that means pretty much the top 12 teams that make the playoffs I know 14 do with the two extra wild cards but let's just keep it at 12 ten of them have quarterbacks that make as much or more then Prescott and somehow they're going to have to deal with it just like we are you want to throw away Prescott because of the cap and then what we will take a giant step back we will go from the top six or seven teams that end the year in the playoffs and then fall back to a 500 team fighting to be in that line on the right that says in the hunt probably not even as good as that...

The reality of professional football is the hard salary cap but also how much you have to pay a top ten quarterback if you want to stay competitive that's what you have to do saying it's a mistake is the most ridiculous thing I've heard it is what you pay... Or you're probably going to end up in bad shape and then that would take three years to get into the top five to even pick a quarterback who even have a half a chance of being better than Prescott on a rookie contract it very rarely happens... So if you're one of those fans that wanna worry about contracts and salary cap and you'd rather be bad for the next five years to get rid of a top ten quarterback with the slightest window open on a crack to finish this thing off you can go live in that little fantasy world of yours and I'm gonna sit here and I'm gonna trust that the front office as a whole and as a group they'll have this all worked out but they understand we might need two more years with Prescott to finish what we've started you don't throw that away because you think you can do better... That turf is not greener on the other side in fact it could blow your ACL out in a heartbeat or let's say your Achilles lol

why do I mention that because there are teams that spent decades looking for a replacement quarterback and when they couldn't they had to go out and get guys not only at a steep draft capital price but also pay them that would be deshaun Watson Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers today him a few others are paying other guys 35 million just so they could barely break 500 this is what the quarterback reality is... At least with Prescott and maybe you ought to keep yourself in a fantasy close your eyes picture this act like we need a really good quarterback and that way you're gonna pay the price for Prescott without having to give up the draft picks that the Browns and The Jets in Denver did just to get a guy on the same level as Prescott, at least we did have to give up the draft picks

You didn't pay attention to what I said. I have said they are stuck with prescott. They can't cut him and they wont. Jerry will extend him. Dak is in his 8th year. He has shown he can play great at times (especially bad teams) . The Cowboys haved had good seasons the last couple of years but not so much in the playoffs. This year will probably be the same. With Daks extention, parson and lambs contract comming up there will be less cap room.

 

[DuncanIso]

We're in a pretty good position cap wise. Micah and Lamb will take up a ton of room, but we have basically budgeted for it.

2024 cap is negative already.

And that’s with a 10.5 million rollover from the 2023 cap.

 

[DuncanIso]

You didn't pay attention to what I said. I have said they are stuck with prescott. They can't cut him and they wont. Jerry will extend him. Dak is in his 8th year. He has shown he can play great at times (especially bad teams) . The Cowboys haved had good seasons the last couple of years but not so much in the playoffs. This year will probably be the same. With Daks extention, parson and lambs contract comming up there will be less cap room.

They can cut.

June 2024 cut saves mega millions.

I believe the number is around 33 million in 2024.

Not stuck with Dak at all.

Lance.

 

[DuncanIso]

Dak's people should be smiling but it's what they'll be doing at the end of the season that matters. Jerry may be frowning

Yes.

2023 is all about Dak.

Can he win us a Super Bowl?

He gets a final shot at it.