The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for a critical offseason, with head coach Brian Schottenheimer making strategic moves to reshape the team. After a lackluster 7-9-1 season, despite Dak Prescott's stellar performance, the Cowboys are focused on bolstering their defense and managing salary-cap challenges.
Currently, the Cowboys find themselves $30,173,257 over the cap, according to overthecap.com. However, there's a playbook for navigating these financial waters.
One common strategy is converting part of a player's salary into a bonus, which is perfectly within NFL rules and offers teams much-needed flexibility. This approach could be particularly impactful with Prescott's contract.
By restructuring, the Cowboys could reduce his cap hit from $74 million to $43 million, freeing up $31 million and providing room to maneuver in free agency.
Additional cap relief could come from restructuring deals with CeeDee Lamb and Tyler Smith. These moves are essential as the Cowboys eye significant free-agent targets to strengthen their roster.
One intriguing situation involves Clark, acquired in the notable Micah Parsons trade. Despite hopes of shoring up their run defense, the Cowboys finished 22nd, allowing 125.5 rushing yards per game.
Clark, turning 31 this season, could be a cap casualty with no dead money hit, potentially freeing up $21 million. This amount could be pivotal in pursuing a top-tier pass rusher.
ESPN suggests that trading Clark might be an option, especially if he’s open to a pay cut. This could facilitate a trade, possibly including a swap of late-round picks, and reunite him with former coach Jerry Montgomery.
On the offensive side, the line's performance in 2025 left much to be desired, ranking 21st according to Pro Football Focus. Terence Steele, signed to a hefty five-year, $86 million deal in 2023, didn’t quite live up to expectations.
His overall grade of 63.6 and a pass-blocking grade of 54.9 indicate room for improvement. Moving on from Steele could save $9 million, which would be crucial in an all-in push for the 2026 season.
The Cowboys have a golden opportunity to reestablish themselves as an elite team. With a potent offense already in place, fixing the defense this offseason could be the key to unlocking their full potential and making a serious postseason run. The decisions made in the coming months will be pivotal for the Cowboys' ambitions in 2026.