These huge guaranteed contracts with signing bonuses are impossible for most teams. It’s not about the salary cap nor the owner’s personal wealth. It’s about cash liquidity and weekly game income for each team.
I read a report that when the Rams were in St Louis with one of the richest owners, they were strapped for cash. In their first season in LA, playing in the Coliseum, a college stadium, they brought in more game day cash in week one than ever in St Louis, and have since quadrupled their game day profits.
I’m sure the Cowboys do well on game day, but I’m guessing no where near what the LA teams make. The Giants pull in 5 times what Jacksonville makes on game day. Bottom line is that these huge guarantees and signing bonuses that bring in or keep top players have very little to do with the salary cap or even team value. How much is the team bringing in weekly on the home games? That’s what most teams use for writing these huge checks, not the owner’s personal bank account which no financial advisor would support.
This is an area Jerry once was at the top of in the NFL, and one reason why he had a reputation of getting his man. Now there are other teams with big cash revenue.