State of the Salary Cap: Cowboys' in position to defy tradition, splurge in 2025

[big dog cowboy]

This is a great article about the Cowboys salary cap situation. Where they are now, in 2025, 2025 restructures, 2025 needs, and the Parsons situation. I highly encourage everyone to take a couple of minutes and completely read it. There is lots of good information and is very informative.

State of the Salary Cap: Cowboys' in position to defy tradition, splurge in 2025
K.D. Drummond
September 18, 2024

It’s a horrible feeling to wake up in Week 3 and think that the team one has dedicated their sports life to is dead in the water already. Make no mistake; the Cowboys are better than what they displayed on Sunday in their 44-19 bludgeoning at the hands of the New Orleans Saints.

The club has a new defensive coordinator and system, one that’s notoriously hard to learn. The stars didn’t play in the preseason whatsoever on either side of the ball, and they were missing one of their only two proven passing game weapons and the fill-ins hurt them on numerous occasions. But those excuses do nothing to assuage the feelings that this team has to have perfect circumstances to emerge victorious at the end of the season, and perfect doesn’t happen around here.

So even with the NFC East looking extremely winnable, and teams from San Francisco and Detroit looking within reach, the more than likely outcome is that Dallas will be spinning things forward in 2025 instead of looking to run things back. Fortunately, the salary cap outlook for such a thing is actually pretty promising in that regard. Unfortunately, it’s just not the team’s track record.

MUCH MORE: https://cowboyswire.usatoday.com/20...4-2025/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[MarcusRock]

Lol. Already looking towards next year.

 

[Coogiguy03]

We like our guys, don't know why the OP doesn't understand this!

 

[big dog cowboy]

We like our guys, don't know why the OP doesn't understand this!

What does this have to do with the article I posted?

I fail to see any connection with your comment and the Dallas Cowboys salary cap situation.

 

[Coogiguy03]

All these numbers, as usual, the capologist specialty!!!! All I see is the cowboys having money, but restructures which will mess up our cap and cause us to be "all in "

 

[Creeper]

The Cowboys have a project $29 million in CAP space for 2025, but that is with only 31 players signed and a bunch of their own free agents again. Take out the rookie pool and they have maybe $23 million. That's what they have to sign 14 players. I assume there will be some restructures to make a little more room, but they will keep some CAP space in reserve, or even for carryover if they can. I do not anticipate any kind of spending spree.

 

[Coogiguy03]

What does this have to do with the article I posted?

I fail to see any connection with your comment and the Dallas Cowboys salary cap situation.

I say the same to myself about your comments!!! How many times can we beat the cap to death, it is what it is, if they spend they'll spend, if they don't we'll whine and complain while they're enjoying life and bragging about being all in

 

[big dog cowboy]

How many times can we beat the cap to death

Clearly you failed (I know - big shock) to read the article to know what it's about.

 

[Desperado]

They need to roll 2024 cap to 2025 to offset some of Dak's 90M 2025 cap hit. Need to get him down to a reasonable (LOL!) $65M cap #.

 

[gtb1943]

Probably the best we can hope for is about $30 million to actually sign free agents at the best.

almost certainly less but we should be able to get some quality players.

Sadly with this FO I am not confident about them either spending it or spending it correctly

 

[thunderpimp91]

The Cowboys have a project $29 million in CAP space for 2025, but that is with only 31 players signed and a bunch of their own free agents again. Take out the rookie pool and they have maybe $23 million. That's what they have to sign 14 players. I assume there will be some restructures to make a little more room, but they will keep some CAP space in reserve, or even for carryover if they can. I do not anticipate any kind of spending spree.

I would tend to agree. I'm hopeful they'll hit the market a little harder than they did this year, but I wouldnt expect anything significant. Honestly when you look at who they are set to lose this offseason the most likely scenario is going to be them breaking even at best with 2-3 third wave FAs. It'll be another year of having to overhype the draft class to convince ourselves this roster is more talented than the prior year, unless Jerry/Stephen actually change their philosophy on team building which seems unlikely.

 

[fivetwos]

Maybe they will finally get it through their heads that you can’t put together enough good players at any one time through the draft only.

Yeah, you build that way initially then supplement the picks you blew, not quadruple down on them and hope.

They honestly operate as if they will never bust a draft pick again.

 

[gtb1943]

Maybe they will finally get it through their heads that you can’t put together enough good players at any one time through the draft only.

Yeah, you build that way initially then supplement the picks you blew, not quadruple down on them and hope.

They honestly operate as if they will never bust a draft pick again.

The whole we like our guys shtick is nauseating.

The refusal to go out and spend for FA players is the big hole in the side of the ship and it keeps sinking it year after year

 

[tm1119]

Clearly you failed (I know - big shock) to read the article to know what it's about.

Lol why are you being so combative pretending like the Cowboys are going to sign free agents? People are tired of hearing about the cap because it’s irrelevant, the Jones’ aren’t going to suddenly reverse their decade (plus?) long tradition of ignoring free agency. They could have had cap space in almost every year, they just choose not.

The $25M in space we have now sure would been nice in the off-season to fill holes, instead they chose to drag out contract negotiations that they ended up caving into anyway.

 

[gtb1943]

A real GM does this every offseason:

evaluates with the coaches every single position on the team

them ear marks the positions that need upgrading

Then looks at what they might be able to get in the draft and then in FA

prioritizes what they will be looking to get in each.

Then looking at how much money they have enter FA with a number of targets, going after the most important ones first

once FA is basically over, evaluate what you were able to get with what you still need.

Then examine the draft and decide on priorities. Cross check that with what is in the draft and what they can likely get. Call around and look at trade possibilities. Then use the draft to get the best personnel possible.

after the draft look at the results of all of this and then look around to see what you might be able to get that is left in FA or might be able to be traded for.

I wonder how many of these steps the FO of this team diligently do?

 

[CCBoy]

Clearly you failed (I know - big shock) to read the article to know what it's about.

I have been talking about this potential $300+ for two days now. It all officially falls on the franchise, starting for team moves here and now.

Jerry has commented about one player status...good, let's now see this year or next if one can still listen to him. Not for show and advertising.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Lol why are you being so combative pretending like the Cowboys are going to sign free agents?

I didn't write the article. Just posted it.

 

[CCBoy]

Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa and Jourdan Lewis are the most likely contenders to be brought back from their pending free agents.

Even Stephen can figure out in a foreseeable budget, room for more than just a smile, but a top gang changer. Plenty of draft picks with merit for trade.

 

[Flamma]

Clearly you failed (I know - big shock) to read the article to know what it's about.

The article outlines what they could do, not what they will do. The Cowboys pay their own players, they rarely make trades for high paid players, or entertain high paid FAs. So what would they spend all of that cap space on?

They knew they'd have a decent amount of cap space going into 2025. This is why Dak's cap hit is 90M. They're trying to absorb as much of his cap hits while they can. If they wanted an extra 30M, they could have just switch 2025 with 2026, instant 30M without any restructures.

They don't intend to create more cap space. They intend to just have enough to sign their own players, a few bargain free agents, and drafted players.

 

[nightrain]

2024 was a great opportunity to not sign a top $$ tiered WR and QB, roll with and develop some young players, see what Rush can do for a season, and hit the reset button in 2025. How many more games will they win on the current trajectory?