Why does Dallas not have a lot of cap space?

[Kaiser]

Look at dez, scandrick, Terrance Williams and the list goes on. We can never trade them because of the dumb contract we gave them.

You think Scandrick and TWIll were overpaid?

 

[beware_d-ware]

1. We have a lot of big money Cowboys that we've paid. Lee, Tyron, Frederick, Dez, Lawrence - those guys don't play for free.

2. We've chosen to stop can-kicking on a lot of contracts. Guys like Dez and Tyron had contracts that were designed to be pushed back, but as they get injured and decline, we'be chosen to pay them now rather than backload the deals with a bunch of guaranteed money later. THAT is how we'd end up in cap hell - paying lots of guaranteed money to old, injured scrubs. Look how long we paid Miles Austin.

So we are a bit short on cash right now, but we can afford to keep D-Law and Martin at All-Pro salary rates, and the cap situation looks good going forward. The only bad contract we have is Dez.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Crawford was another big mistake by the FO. He was never a dynamic, big play pro.
They tend to overpay their drafted players who just aren't that good when compared to
other similar players in the NFL. I agree that they are drafting better, though not perfect.
The team has a short window where they have to sign Martin, Dak, and Zeke to their
next big contracts. Over 2 decades of mistakes and poor management have lowered the
Cowboys to middle of the pack and they are likely to stay there.

I hit like on this post after he first sentence.

Crawford was one of those guys phony football junkies like broadus or whatever would act like he does all these things that common fans just don’t understand

 

[LACowboysFan1]

There odds are sure as h--- better than ours. Look at there coach and then ours, I just dropped my mic, as biggie smalls sings "more money more problems".

And don't know if you remembered, but in 1988-89 there were lots of folks who said the Cowboys might never win another Super Bowl, but 4 years later, bingo! They did it.

If there's one thing that the salary cap has done, it's let poor teams go to super teams in a couple of years, and super teams fall apart. Even before that, in 1985 the Bears were widely considered to be headed for dominance after that season, with a 46-10 dismantling of the Patriots, but they haven't been back since.

Are there odds better? Sure, but the post was that we'd be watching the Eagles pile up more SB trophies, and in the modern NFL, that's just not nearly as likely as it was years ago, when the Packers, Browns, Steelers, etc. were in the championship game, and winning, for a decade or more...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I hit like on this post after he first sentence.

Crawford was one of those guys phony football junkies like broadus or whatever would act like he does all these things that common fans just don’t understand

Never did understand the big contract Crawford got. In the two previous years before that, he had a total of 53 tackles and 3 sacks. Yet somehow he was projected as a top DT or DE. You can argue whether or not he's overpaid at this point, but the Cowboys are historically too often afraid somebody will leave and become a superstar somewhere else, which of course they can't know. It's different paying a Lawrence, who in the two years he has played all 16 games he's had 8 sacks on a poor 2015 team and 14.5 last year on a mediocre team. And if they can't settle on a "reasonable" contract, they can leave him tagged, and if he falls down, they can let him go or sign him for lesser money.

Crawford does okay for two years and is immediately rewarded with top money...

 

[DBOY3141]

And don't know if you remembered, but in 1988-89 there were lots of folks who said the Cowboys might never win another Super Bowl, but 4 years later, bingo! They did it.

If there's one thing that the salary cap has done, it's let poor teams go to super teams in a couple of years, and super teams fall apart. Even before that, in 1985 the Bears were widely considered to be headed for dominance after that season, with a 46-10 dismantling of the Patriots, but they haven't been back since.

Are there odds better? Sure, but the post was that we'd be watching the Eagles pile up more SB trophies, and in the modern NFL, that's just not nearly as likely as it was years ago, when the Packers, Browns, Steelers, etc. were in the championship game, and winning, for a decade or more...

Bears went to the Super Bowl in 2007. they lost to the Colts.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

Bears went to the Super Bowl in 2007. they lost to the Colts.

I was talking about the 1985 Bears team, nobody from that team was still there 22 years later.

Should have said "but the '85 Bears team didn't return to the SB the next year or any year after that with most of the same players on the team"...

 

[DBOY3141]

I was talking about the 1985 Bears team, nobody from that team was still there 22 years later.

Should have said "but the '85 Bears team didn't return to the SB the next year or any year after that with most of the same players on the team"...

gotcha.

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

And don't know if you remembered, but in 1988-89 there were lots of folks who said the Cowboys might never win another Super Bowl, but 4 years later, bingo! They did it.

If there's one thing that the salary cap has done, it's let poor teams go to super teams in a couple of years, and super teams fall apart. Even before that, in 1985 the Bears were widely considered to be headed for dominance after that season, with a 46-10 dismantling of the Patriots, but they haven't been back since.

Are there odds better? Sure, but the post was that we'd be watching the Eagles pile up more SB trophies, and in the modern NFL, that's just not nearly as likely as it was years ago, when the Packers, Browns, Steelers, etc. were in the championship game, and winning, for a decade or more...

I like your post but just no faith in this coaching staff at all. I have seen this lifetime movie before and can't get my wife to turn it.

 

[Bullet22]

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/dallas-cowboys/cap/

 

[jblaze2004]

You think Scandrick and TWIll were overpaid?

not worth their contract which is the reason why we have to release players instead of trading them for something instead of releasing them for nothing.

 

[unionjack8]

When Tony was signed to his last contract it was chancy but reasonable. Only haters and idiots think otherwise. you do realize that 8.5 million is not that big a deal in a cap of 177 million or do you fail basic math?

His injuries crippled us, not his salary....

 

[Kaiser]

not worth their contract which is the reason why we have to release players instead of trading them for something instead of releasing them for nothing.

If you do a google search on DC.com and DMN.com there are several articles saying Scandrick's contract is below market and a reason for him to traded rather than released. His cap hit was last year 5.2MM, which was 26th in the league. Next year its 28th, even before the FA dust settles. If he is healthy that is average or below market.

EDIT - I forgot something, if traded Dallas eats his bonus money but gains room under the cap. His 2018 cap hit to the new team would only be 3 Million (4M in 2019), which would be 43rd in the NFL.

On TWill, I basically agree on performance but I have a lower opinion of him than most. But his cap hit last year was 2.25MM, which was 64th among WRs according to Spotrac. There are also plenty of news articles that he had a much bigger FA offer last year that got pulled at the last minute, so he jumped on a low offer from Dallas to return to his comfort zone. I basically agree with you on performance. but his contract is below market for a starting WR.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

I like your post but just no faith in this coaching staff at all. I have seen this lifetime movie before and can't get my wife to turn it.

They got rid of Wade Wilson and other coaches this year, brought in other successful position coaches, again, at least they're trying to do things differently.

Keep the faith brother!

 

[LACowboysFan1]

His injuries crippled us, not his salary....

His big contract was $108 million for 6 years, or $18 million a year.

Drew Brees just signed a two year deal for $50 million, or $25 million a year. In 2015, Philip Rivers signed a four-year, $83.25 million contract, which is $20.81 million.

Had Romo not had to retire, his $18 million a year wouldn't have been excessive. Nobody knew in 2013 he'd have more collarbone injuries and back injuries, to complain about his cap hit now is silly, there's always a risk in long term deals. This time it didn't work out...

 

[LACowboysFan1]

On TWill, I basically agree on performance but I have a lower opinion of him than most.

There's always the unknown - is he not very good or is the coaching staff not using him correctly?

He's had some very big "wow" type catches, maybe he could have more if he was used differently?

We'll probably never know. He does have the issue with body catches, but I'm not sure that's that big of a problem...

 

[Hadenough]

Millions in dead money for Romo and others. Bad contracts, overpaying marginal players and sticking with players
past the age of 30. Now you have older players like Dez, Witten, and Scandrick sucking money off the cap for
less than optimum play. Until the FO manages the team more like NE, the Cowboys will continue to struggle.

Scandricks salary is cheap but they dont need him. Its players like Tyron Smith who have soaked up the extra space with Jerry restructuring. Tyron, Witten and Dez are the main culprits. Combine that with the 12 mil counting against the cap this year with Romo and theres your answer. Tyron has a bad back and isnt the player he was and now Jerry is has restructured Frederick OMG and is getting ready to give Martin a kings ransom. Too dam much money tied up in the oline. Thats why Dak isnt the answer! The QB is supposed to be the star who elevates everyone else on offense but its the other way around in Dallas. They need to get a QB that can perform with the team without having 100 million dollar offensive line. And best RB in the league!! Then they can allocate a good portion of money into the defense. Tyron Smith is the biggest boat anchor around the Cowboys money problems.

 

[Rally]

What are some of the reasons Dallas doesn't have a lot of cap space?

It feels that Dallas has had salary cap issues for many years and would have finally solved the issue by now. Most other teams seem to be well off.

Jerry is a terrific business man, but in saying that , I'm very surprised about some of his business decisions concerning some the Cowboys contracts.

 

[LittleD]

Scandricks salary is cheap but they dont need him. Its players like Tyron Smith who have soaked up the extra space with Jerry restructuring. Tyron, Witten and Dez are the main culprits. Combine that with the 12 mil counting against the cap this year with Romo and theres your answer. Tyron has a bad back and isnt the player he was and now Jerry is has restructured Frederick OMG and is getting ready to give Martin a kings ransom. Too dam much money tied up in the oline. Thats why Dak isnt the answer! The QB is supposed to be the star who elevates everyone else on offense but its the other way around in Dallas. They need to get a QB that can perform with the team without having 100 million dollar offensive line. And best RB in the league!! Then they can allocate a good portion of money into the defense. Tyron Smith is the biggest boat anchor around the Cowboys money problems.

I like your analysis and you get the problems with the FO. I understand your problem with Dak but, he could possibly work out if they change the nature and scheme of the offense. He is not Romo and will never be Romo. He can be a west coast style QB with short to intermediate pass routes and crossing routes predominately to faster, quicker receivers. Tyron does have a bad back and that's why they don't want to extend him any longer. Frederick has panned out and will be here for another contract along with Martin. The team has a lot of work to do to rearrange the deck chairs to make this team work but, they most likely not be able to change everything in one year.

 

[Kaiser]

There's always the unknown - is he not very good or is the coaching staff not using him correctly?

IMO the answer is "both". TWill has the physical talent, they had a second round grade on him when they drafted him and he had a solid rookie season. But he hasn't improved at all in four years, so a big part of that has to be on him.

But I think Dooley was the worst of our coaches also, if every one of our WRs had a down year last year its on Dooley at some level.

I think TWill will be the 4th WR this year, I think they draft a WR in the first two rounds and could sign a FA on top of that. He will be fine in that role and start on some teams, but if Dallas wants to go deep in the playoffs you have to have a better player starting .