Long term, who are the potential cuts this offseason?

[Idgit]

I think these players have seen their last days in dallas
Butler
Mayowa
Hanna
Durant
Morris


witten plays his last year in dallas and retires
Beasley stays
Bryant stays

This is what I think happens, too. Though Dez they might try to adjust that contract to keep him a few more years. If not, Dez might be gone after next season, too, and we'd need to bring in a talented player in the draft to try to replace him.

 

[Drlabon]

He is our best WR...... replace Switzer, Brown or TWill first

When we have 3 WRs better than Dez then we can cut him

I don't totally disagree regarding Twill, it is just that Dez costs a lot more money and the production appears to be in some decline

 

[Drlabon]

This is what I think happens, too. Though Dez they might try to adjust that contract to keep him a few more years. If not, Dez might be gone after next season, too, and we'd need to bring in a talented player in the draft to try to replace him.

The list looks good but I am not sure about Hannah. He has another year and they really really like him as a blocking tight end. We need more punch to the passing offense for sure, I think just about everyone agrees a young WR is needed with perhaps a 3rd down back type (although Zeke fills that role too).

 

[xwalker]

I was playing around with the Over the Cap website and looking at 2018.

Now there are guys who could be restructured to create more cap space - Frederick, maybe Dez, etc.

But then there are some guys who could give us a savings if cut. Note, I am not suggesting they all be cut, just listing the ones for which there would be a decent savings:

Witten - saves $6.5MM with no dead money
Beasley - saves $3.35MM, $1MM dead money
Bryant - saves $8.0MM with $8.5MM in dead money
Mayowa - saves $2.75MM with $1.1MM in dead money
Hanna - saved $2.75MM with $750M in dead money

Scandrick and Crawford are two popular names you see mentioned that could be cut but they provide little cap relief unless you deem them June 1 cuts, I believe.

From the Cowboys perspective only the actual savings matter. Those numbers:
12.5M for Dez
6.5M for Witten
6M for Crawford
3.75M for Mayowa
3M for Scandrick

 

[Idgit]

The list looks good but I am not sure about Hannah. He has another year and they really really like him as a blocking tight end. We need more punch to the passing offense for sure, I think just about everyone agrees a young WR is needed with perhaps a 3rd down back type (although Zeke fills that role too).

I'm just guessing based on the fact that they kept Jarwin and want to work in Rico, but I think it depends what Witten does. If Witten plays, they might consider cutting/trading Hanna for a conditional or a similar player at cut downs to get Rico on the roster if things go well in camp. Swaim does a lot of those same things. If Wit hangs them up, Hannah and Swaim become the starting combo, and Jarwin and Rico are the other two TEs for camp, with Rico getting a shot to steal snaps if he has really developed.

They do like Hanna, though. And they don't pay him so much that they have to agonize over keeping him if that's what they want to do. I like Swaim a bit better, anyway, though, and just want to make some room at the bottom of that TE group to keep Rico on the active roster.

 

[Drlabon]

They do like Hanna, though. And they don't pay him so much that they have to agonize over keeping him if that's what they want to do. I like Swaim a bit better, anyway, though, and just want to make some room at the bottom of that TE group to keep Rico on the active roster.[/QUOTE]

Right. They seem to be set at blocking tight end, the question is whether or not between Jarwin and Gathers they have an up and coming replacement for Witten (who can block and catch), or does Witten play and they choose to kick the can down the rode a bit further regarding drafting a replacement. I think Witten's numbers have been affected due in part to his role in staying in to blocking more. Offensively, I think WR and 3rd OT are the big needs.

 

[Nightman]

From the Cowboys perspective only the actual savings matter. Those numbers:
12.5M for Dez
6.5M for Witten
6M for Crawford
3.75M for Mayowa
3M for Scandrick

That isn't true

If DAL is 10m under the cap and they cut TCrawford then they are 11.8m under the cap...... that isn't 6m in savings........over 2 years it is but that doesn't help 2018's cap

 

[Sydla]

He isn't going anywhere...... his leverage is that he is our best TE

Restructure and save 4m on the cap........done and done

I can go out and maybe sign Trey Burton, who is a better TE now than Witten is, for example. That's my leverage. As much as it sucks, Witten is giving us average to below average TE play at this point. I can probably find a FA to do it at half the cost or less. So sure, restructure if they want............. just as long as you trim $4MM or so off that contract.

 

[Drlabon]

very unlikely they would cut Crawford this offseason. Mayowa and Scandrick are most likely to be released, no Morris for next year, or Durant. Iffy on Wilbur coming back (although I can see Rod M. wanting to resign him for a few years for ST help and some spot play versatility.

 

[Sydla]

I don't get the people saying Crawford should be cut. Do you realize you don't save really anything against the cap in cutting him and then you have to find a guy to replace him.

He's actually been pretty good for us this year.

 

[Drlabon]

There are only 4-5 guys next year where the age/production/cost require hard examination: Witten, Dez, Scandrick, Lee, and Crawford (although I think he is fine for another 2 years). I don't see Lee going anywhere next year, he still plays at an extremely high level when healthy, therefore he is worth the gamble. I am not sold that keeping Scandrick for another year is a bad idea, especially if you draft another corner...Scandrick still plays at a high level in the slot when healthy. I think they let Dez's contract stand for 2018, with a decision on whether to extend for another 2-3 years after the 2018 season. Witten will play until he is 50.lol

 

[Nightman]

I don't get the people saying Crawford should be cut. Do you realize you don't save really anything against the cap in cutting him and then you have to find a guy to replace him.

He's actually been pretty good for us this year.

He is the 42nd highest paid DL and the 16th best at getting pressure

And that is if you count his whole contract......if you only count the 3yr/21m left on his deal he is an even bigger bargain

 

[Nightman]

I can go out and maybe sign Trey Burton, who is a better TE now than Witten is, for example. That's my leverage. As much as it sucks, Witten is giving us average to below average TE play at this point. I can probably find a FA to do it at half the cost or less. So sure, restructure if they want............. just as long as you trim $4MM or so off that contract.

This is DAL and the politics matter....... JJones is not cutting Witten over a couple million

 

[Sydla]

This is DAL and the politics matter....... JJones is not cutting Witten over a couple million

I suspect you'd be right but that just solidifies my belief Jerry shouldn't be making calls like this anymore. It's why we will have Garrett as head coach for a decade with minimal results. Jerry is too invested emotionally in guys to make the tough choices to make the franchise better.

It will be a travesty if Witten is back on this team next year making $6.5MM. That would be one horrible decision.

 

[Drlabon]

This is DAL and the politics matter....... JJones is not cutting Witten over a couple million

That is right...but I don't get the criticism...Witten can still play! He is not a pure passing tight end, he is an old school tight end who can block and catch, not too many tight ends have that skill set these days. To me, the big issue with the passing game is not having Zeke (who the offense is designed around), lack of depth at OT (which killed us in the ATL-SD games), and a good speed catching WR. I don't think Dez has been productive enough to warrant 17M per year, but he is still a really good player. They need to draft a young talented WR to groom...Let Michael Irvin help us find one.lol

 

[xwalker]

That isn't true

If DAL is 10m under the cap and they cut TCrawford then they are 11.8m under the cap...... that isn't 6m in savings........over 2 years it is but that doesn't help 2018's cap

It is 6M in savings. It does not matter when the savings occur.

The 2018 savings is 1.8M and the 2019 savings is 4.2M. Restructure another contract to push 4.2M into 2019. The 2019 cap is unaffected because the 4.2M savings from Crawford offsets the 4.2M pushed into 2019 from the other contract. They get the full 6M savings in 2018 and the 2019 cap is unaffected.

I'm not advocating to cut Crawford, just using him as an example.

 

[Nightman]

That is right...but I don't get the criticism...Witten can still play! He is not a pure passing tight end, he is an old school tight end who can block and catch, not too many tight ends have that skill set these days. To me, the big issue with the passing game is not having Zeke (who the offense is designed around), lack of depth at OT (which killed us in the ATL-SD games), and a good speed catching WR. I don't think Dez has been productive enough to warrant 17M per year, but he is still a really good player. They need to draft a young talented WR to groom...Let Michael Irvin help us find one.lol

I agree....Witten and his pay is not the problem...... when we are full strength we are a 30 pt a game Offense...... maybe give some of Witten's routes to Dez and like you said draft a WR1 but both guys are still the best at their position on the team...... you don't just cut those guys over a few million

We should have learned from that mistake with DWare

 

[Nightman]

It is 6M in savings. It does not matter when the savings occur.

The 2018 savings is 1.8M and the 2019 savings is 4.2M. Restructure another contract to push 4.2M into 2019. The 2019 cap is unaffected because the 4.2M savings from Crawford offsets the 4.2M pushed into 2019 from the other contract. They get the full 6M savings in 2018 and the 2019 cap is unaffected.

I'm not advocating to cut Crawford, just using him as an example.

It absolutely matters when the savings occur....that is the point
Restructuring another contract is not the same deal..... it is a whole new transaction with a different player

You are combing two conversations to try and make cutting Dez look more palatable

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

This is what I think happens, too. Though Dez they might try to adjust that contract to keep him a few more years. If not, Dez might be gone after next season, too, and we'd need to bring in a talented player in the draft to try to replace him.

I think its time to invest in a WR again. I think a safety, WR, LB are potential first three rounds. If Jaylon continues to improve, that solves middle LB problem, but we have to think beyond Sean Lee. I think we need better safties...heath is a JAG and Jones got benched. everyone we have right now is a rotational player. I wanted us to keep Church and let Williams walk and sign Jeffries. if we had Church, I think Jones would have been much better. he needs a SS type next to him to be effective.

 

[Drlabon]

They are not cutting Dez this offseason, however if his production doesn't come back in 2018, then for 2019 they could designate him a June 1st cut, which would provide significant savings (with a little bit of dead money).