DFWJC
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ESPN's ranking of the playoff losers best setup for 2017
So this still excludes NE, Pitt, Atl, GB
3. Dallas Cowboys
Expect at least a two- or three-game retreat for the Cowboys in 2017, but I think they still have the best chance to win the NFC East. They will need to clean up their salary cap this offseason in order to set up three more years of playoff runs under quarterback Dak Prescott's four-year rookie contract. It would serve the Cowboys better to do a post-June 1 release on Tony Romo rather than trade him or release him in February or March. That would save them $14 million of cap.
The Cowboys are $19.1 million over the cap and will be around $23 million over once they sign practice-squad players to futures contracts. Getting under the cap won't be a problem. The big issue will be improving the defense. The secondary is going to get hit hard with cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne and safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox all free agents. They also need to find room to re-sign wide receiver Terrance Williams.
The Cowboys have the league's 11th hardest schedule in 2017 and don't figure to go 10-0 again in games outside their division, but they are good enough to stay at 10- or 11-win level.
So this still excludes NE, Pitt, Atl, GB
- Seattle
- Oakland
- Dallas
- New York
- Kansas City
- Detroit
- Miami
- Houston
3. Dallas Cowboys
Expect at least a two- or three-game retreat for the Cowboys in 2017, but I think they still have the best chance to win the NFC East. They will need to clean up their salary cap this offseason in order to set up three more years of playoff runs under quarterback Dak Prescott's four-year rookie contract. It would serve the Cowboys better to do a post-June 1 release on Tony Romo rather than trade him or release him in February or March. That would save them $14 million of cap.
The Cowboys are $19.1 million over the cap and will be around $23 million over once they sign practice-squad players to futures contracts. Getting under the cap won't be a problem. The big issue will be improving the defense. The secondary is going to get hit hard with cornerbacks Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne and safeties Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox all free agents. They also need to find room to re-sign wide receiver Terrance Williams.
The Cowboys have the league's 11th hardest schedule in 2017 and don't figure to go 10-0 again in games outside their division, but they are good enough to stay at 10- or 11-win level.
