My theory on the Dak contract

[Jumbo075]

I think the main reason that the Cowboys haven’t resigned Dak to a new contract is his impact on the salary CAP - not so much this year’s CAP, but the CAP for future seasons.

The Cowboys need to clear his 59M off the CAP this year, rather than kick the can down the road yet again. This is also the last year for the big contracts for Zach Martin, and DeMarcus Lawrence.

In order to set themselves up for CAP success in future seasons, AND also to have enough CAP space to sign Micah Parsons to a long term deal, they need to clear the CAP in future years. So, by letting Dak play out the final year of his contract this season, the Cowboys free themselves of a lot of rollover CAP charges they would incur by signing Dak now.

Finally, if you listen to Dak’s latest comments to the press, he says he understands what they are doing from a business perspective. And Jerry has explicitly said the failure to sign Dak this year isn’t because they don’t value Dak; rather, it is about CAP management.

Ultimately , if the Cowboys want to keep Dak (and I believe they do want Dak back), then it will cost them more in real dollars by waiting until next year. But the name of the game is CAP management. They run the risk of alienating Dak; but on the other hand, they believe Dak wants to be in Dallas, and will forgive them.

Trey Lance is their backup plan. You can see he has the physical tools to be a successful NFL QB. His arm strength and elusiveness jump out at you when you watch him. But he’s reckless with the ball - something Dak isn’t. If Dak leaves, the Cowboys will keep Lance on a cheap contract, hoping they can coach the recklessness out of him. But they’d rather have Dak.

The bottom line is the NFL economics is forcing the Cowboys to “reset” their CAP for future seasons. That is why they are choosing to take the big CAP hit for Dak this year - hoping they can fix it all next March.

At least that is my theory, based on looking at the contracts, future CAP space, and the comments coming from both Jerry and Dak.

 

[MoistMayonnaise]

I think Jerry hasn't re-signed Dak yet because he isn't winning in the playoffs and this is a prove it year.

 

[erod]

It's definitely part of the logic. Assuming they're being logical, which is a huge assumption.

It's also about performance hopefully because his is woefully short.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I think the main reason that the Cowboys haven’t resigned Dak to a new contract is his impact on the salary CAP - not so much this year’s CAP, but the CAP for future seasons.

The Cowboys need to clear his 59M off the CAP this year, rather than kick the can down the road yet again. This is also the last year for the big contracts for Zach Martin, and DeMarcus Lawrence.

In order to set themselves up for CAP success in future seasons, AND also to have enough CAP space to sign Micah Parsons to a long term deal, they need to clear the CAP in future years. So, by letting Dak play out the final year of his contract this season, the Cowboys free themselves of a lot of rollover CAP charges they would incur by signing Dak now.

Finally, if you listen to Dak’s latest comments to the press, he says he understands what they are doing from a business perspective. And Jerry has explicitly said the failure to sign Dak this year isn’t because they don’t value Dak; rather, it is about CAP management.

Ultimately , if the Cowboys want to keep Dak (and I believe they do want Dak back), then it will cost them more in real dollars by waiting until next year. But the name of the game is CAP management. They run the risk of alienating Dak; but on the other hand, they believe Dak wants to be in Dallas, and will forgive them.

Trey Lance is their backup plan. You can see he has the physical tools to be a successful NFL QB. His arm strength and elusiveness jump out at you when you watch him. But he’s reckless with the ball - something Dak isn’t. If Dak leaves, the Cowboys will keep Lance on a cheap contract, hoping they can coach the recklessness out of him. But they’d rather have Dak.

The bottom line is the NFL economics is forcing the Cowboys to “reset” their CAP for future seasons. That is why they are choosing to take the big CAP hit for Dak this year - hoping they can fix it all next March.

At least that is my theory, based on looking at the contracts, future CAP space, and the comments coming from both Jerry and Dak.

Yet we still are on the books for 40 million if he leaves?? We're not exactly going to be out of cap hell yet, and if Lance had more years on his rookie deal it would be a bonus for us. I think the best route now is to accept the unacceptable and draft a QB early in the draft

 

[Coogiguy03]

I think Jerry hasn't re-signed Dak yet because he isn't winning in the playoffs and this is a prove it year.

That's what we hope, knowing Jerry an announcement will come this weekend saying Jerry has resigned him to a record setting deal

 

[Hawkeye19]

Pretty sure by extending him they would create MORE flexibility for the cap than if they don’t.

If their goal is to front load the payout this year, they can structure the extension that way if they want to.

I think the issue is far more simple: Dak is asking north of 60 mil and knows he can get it next year easily. JJ doesn’t want to pay 60+ million for a guy who craps the bed in the playoffs.

JJ’s comment this week is quite telling. He said “if you haven’t seen it by now, then you haven’t seen it.” Despite some of the nice things he has said and continues to say about Dak as a person and a player, that quote reveals a deep doubt that JJ has about Dak’s ability to deliver the goods.

The GB game has (rightfully) caused the FO to question if Dak can get it done. Hence their comfort with letting him play this year out. If he wins big, JJ will be the first to line up with the brinks truck to Dak’s front door. But if he craps out again, the FO has the flexibility to walk away and blunt some of the long term effects on their cap, get a new HC, drop some other cap heavy contracts and circle 2026 as a fresh start.

 

[McKDaddy]

All In means All Out on some veterans after this year.

 

[Praxit]

I think the main reason that the Cowboys haven’t resigned Dak to a new contract is his impact on the salary CAP - not so much this year’s CAP, but the CAP for future seasons.

The Cowboys need to clear his 59M off the CAP this year, rather than kick the can down the road yet again. This is also the last year for the big contracts for Zach Martin, and DeMarcus Lawrence.

In order to set themselves up for CAP success in future seasons, AND also to have enough CAP space to sign Micah Parsons to a long term deal, they need to clear the CAP in future years. So, by letting Dak play out the final year of his contract this season, the Cowboys free themselves of a lot of rollover CAP charges they would incur by signing Dak now.

Finally, if you listen to Dak’s latest comments to the press, he says he understands what they are doing from a business perspective. And Jerry has explicitly said the failure to sign Dak this year isn’t because they don’t value Dak; rather, it is about CAP management.

Ultimately , if the Cowboys want to keep Dak (and I believe they do want Dak back), then it will cost them more in real dollars by waiting until next year. But the name of the game is CAP management. They run the risk of alienating Dak; but on the other hand, they believe Dak wants to be in Dallas, and will forgive them.

Trey Lance is their backup plan. You can see he has the physical tools to be a successful NFL QB. His arm strength and elusiveness jump out at you when you watch him. But he’s reckless with the ball - something Dak isn’t. If Dak leaves, the Cowboys will keep Lance on a cheap contract, hoping they can coach the recklessness out of him. But they’d rather have Dak.

The bottom line is the NFL economics is forcing the Cowboys to “reset” their CAP for future seasons. That is why they are choosing to take the big CAP hit for Dak this year - hoping they can fix it all next March.

At least that is my theory, based on looking at the contracts, future CAP space, and the comments coming from both Jerry and Dak.

ahh, Jumbo. Good points. Definitely has some logic sides to that.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Pretty sure by extending him they would create MORE flexibility for the cap than if they don’t.

If their goal is to front load the payout this year, they can structure the extension that way if they want to.

I think the issue is far more simple: Dak is asking north of 60 mil and knows he can get it next year easily. JJ doesn’t want to pay 60+ million for a guy who craps the bed in the playoffs.

JJ’s comment this week is quite telling. He said “if you haven’t seen it by now, then you haven’t seen it.” Despite some of the nice things he has said and continues to say about Dak as a person and a player, that quote reveals a deep doubt that JJ has about Dak’s ability to deliver the goods.

The GB game has (rightfully) caused the FO to question if Dak can get it done. Hence their comfort with letting him play this year out. If he wins big, JJ will be the first to line up with the brinks truck to Dak’s front door. But if he craps out again, the FO has the flexibility to walk away and blunt some of the long term effects on their cap, get a new HC, drop some other cap heavy contracts and circle 2026 as a fresh start.

PLEASE FRONT LOAD IT, because later on in the deal the contract usually escalates to a high number, a high number and his play has declined, BIG BIG detriment to our cap

 

[acr731]

Let him walk.

 

[shabazz]

......or as we've seen many times before and just lately with Ceedee, he plans on giving said player a mammoth contract but drags it out to stay relevant in the media.

Daks contract ( or lack thereof) is literally on every sports show , every day and we've heard it straight from. Jerrys crusty mouth, " I know how to stir things up and stay relevant in the media"

Crusty's words........not mine

 

[John813]

If they wait till his contract expires, there's 40mil dead all up front in 2025 + cap hit from new contract.

That makes no sense.

It's far better to re-sign him before the contract voids so that 40mil is spread out over 4 years in the new contract.

 

[shabazz]

PLEASE FRONT LOAD IT,

......that's what she said.

 

[thunderpimp91]

I don't understand how not signing him this year helps the cap? He only gets more expensive as the cap goes up. Maybe I'm missing something here, but any rollover cap hits would still be there if they signed him this year or next, no?

Ultimately I think Jerry signed the previous deal and managed that deal assuming Dak would play ball this time around. If Dak is going to ask for record money it might simply be too much for them to take on given the existing void money as well.

 

[HabsCowboysOwn]

Or he’s simply done paying top money for a fraud.

 

[TheSport78]

Todd France is Jerry and Stephen’s daddy, because he knows the Cowboys can’t evaluate QBs in the draft and Dallas has no backup plan to Dak. The Cowboys did this to themselves.

 

[Denim Chicken]

I think the main reason that the Cowboys haven’t resigned Dak to a new contract is his impact on the salary CAP - not so much this year’s CAP, but the CAP for future seasons.

The Cowboys need to clear his 59M off the CAP this year, rather than kick the can down the road yet again. This is also the last year for the big contracts for Zach Martin, and DeMarcus Lawrence.

In order to set themselves up for CAP success in future seasons, AND also to have enough CAP space to sign Micah Parsons to a long term deal, they need to clear the CAP in future years. So, by letting Dak play out the final year of his contract this season, the Cowboys free themselves of a lot of rollover CAP charges they would incur by signing Dak now.

Finally, if you listen to Dak’s latest comments to the press, he says he understands what they are doing from a business perspective. And Jerry has explicitly said the failure to sign Dak this year isn’t because they don’t value Dak; rather, it is about CAP management.

Ultimately , if the Cowboys want to keep Dak (and I believe they do want Dak back), then it will cost them more in real dollars by waiting until next year. But the name of the game is CAP management. They run the risk of alienating Dak; but on the other hand, they believe Dak wants to be in Dallas, and will forgive them.

Trey Lance is their backup plan. You can see he has the physical tools to be a successful NFL QB. His arm strength and elusiveness jump out at you when you watch him. But he’s reckless with the ball - something Dak isn’t. If Dak leaves, the Cowboys will keep Lance on a cheap contract, hoping they can coach the recklessness out of him. But they’d rather have Dak.

The bottom line is the NFL economics is forcing the Cowboys to “reset” their CAP for future seasons. That is why they are choosing to take the big CAP hit for Dak this year - hoping they can fix it all next March.

At least that is my theory, based on looking at the contracts, future CAP space, and the comments coming from both Jerry and Dak.

If they extend Dak now, they can structure it however they want for future years. They have a 40M dead cap if they move on for him next year. If they extend him, they are able to lessen that impact and spread it out over multiple years to help with next years cap.

 

[sunalsorises]

If they wait till his contract expires, there's 40mil dead all up front in 2025 + cap hit from new contract.

That makes no sense.

It's far better to re-sign him before the contract voids so that 40mil is spread out over 4 years in the new contract.

That's basically what I thought. Say they sign him to a 4-year deal (because the math is easier). They start whatever the extension is at $10 million per year plus whatever they agree to when he signs. If Dak wants $60 million per year then the cap reflects $70 million per year. I am not a cap expert but short of signing Dak to a 20-year contract and keeping him on the team until he's 50 (even if he doesn't actually play), there is no real way to make that $40 million fit into an extension.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I don't understand how not signing him this year helps the cap? He only gets more expensive as the cap goes up. Maybe I'm missing something here, but any rollover cap hits would still be there if they signed him this year or next, no?

Ultimately I think Jerry signed the previous deal and managed that deal assuming Dak would play ball this time around. If Dak is going to ask for record money it might simply be too much for them to take on given the existing void money as well.

Yet somehow the capologist on here say that we can sign all of them

 

[Coogiguy03]

If they extend Dak now, they can structure it however they want for future years. They have a 40M dead cap if they move on for him next year. If they extend him, they are able to lessen that impact and spread it out over multiple years to help with next years cap.

in which in those years we still have to pay, might as well just take the hit and ride out